A Framework of Modeling and Simulation Based on Swarm Ontology for Autonomous Unmanned Systems

Abstract

For the emerging autonomous swarm technology, from the perspective of systems science and Systems Engineering (SE), there must be novel methodologies and elements to aggregate multiple systems into a group, which distinguish the general components with specific functions. Here, we expect to provide a presentation of their existence in swarm development processes. The inspiration for our approach originates from the integration of swarm ontology, multiparadigm modeling, multiagent systems, cyber-physical systems, etc. Therefore, we chose the model-driven architecture as a framework to provide a method of model representation across the multiple levels of abstraction and composition. The autonomous strategic mechanism was defined and formed in parallel with Concept of Operations (ConOps) analysis and systems design, so as to effectively solve the cognitive problem of emergence caused by nonlinear causation among individual and whole behaviors. Our approach highlights the use of model-based processes and their artifacts in the swarm mechanism to integrate operational and functional models, which means connecting the macro- and micro-aspects in formalism to synthesize a whole with its expected goals, and then to verify and validate within an L-V-C simulation environment.