Distributed Formation Control for Multiagent Systems Using a Fractional-Order Proportional–Integral Structure

This work presents the development of a distributed formation control for multiagent systems (MASs) using a fractional-order proportional–integral (FOPI) structure. The fractional control protocol proposed is evaluated on agents modeled with single- and double-integrator dynamics, in which it enhances the convergence speed of the formation and improves the robustness of the system. In addition, a novel method to study the stability and convergence of the MASs in the frequency domain is designed. This allows deriving constraints on the control parameters to guarantee the stability and ensure the formation when the system topology is modeled by a time-invariant undirected graph. Finally, realistic simulations through MATLAB and a Virtual Robot Experimentation Platform (V-REP) validate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.