Implementation of Parallel Navigation and PID Controller for Drone Swarm Pursuit

Abstract

The usage of a drone in pursuit has been researched quite extensively, but with only one drone, the pursuit suffers from sensory limitations where sensors are either expensive or have limited capabilities. In this paper, a drone swarm controller system for pursuit is developed to solve the problem based on Parallel Navigation (PN) and Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID). The controller consists of two main parts with different functions, each in charge of navigation and control modulation. Navigation is performed by a High-Level Controller built on PN, which allows navigation toward an object while avoiding obstacles simultaneously. Control modulation is performed by a Low-Level Controller based on a PID controller. The implementation study is then performed in a simulated environment with varying swarm members. Results show that the controller system successfully coordinated the drone swarm to surround the target after it is found, and pursuit with more drones consistently locates the target faster.