Adaptive Fixed-Time Fault-Tolerant Cooperative Guidance: Theories and Applications

Cooperative guidance problems with impact time consensus and time-varying line-of-sight (LOS) formation for the fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarm under actuator faults are studied. First, an axial and normal controllable guidance model is established along with an expression of the actuator fault model. Second, an observer-based fixed-time cooperative guidance law is proposed to achieve impact time consensus and LOS formation within a predetermined time. Third, the adaptive gains are proposed to deal with the coupling effect of the target maneuver and unknown actuator faults. In addition, the convergence of the proposed cooperative guidance law is analyzed using Lyapunov theories. Finally, a multiple fixed-wing UAV guidance experimental platform consisting of three fixed-wing UAVs is constructed. The adaptive fixed-time fault-tolerant cooperative guidance law is applied on the experimental platform and well verified in the practical application.