Distributed Dynamic Encirclement Control for First-Order Multi-Agent Systems with Communication Delay

This paper presents a novel distributed encirclement control for first-order multi-agent systems that specifically considers the issue of communication delay. Unlike previous studies, this research analyzes its impact. One key aspect of our approach is the utilization of two distributed estimators affected by communication delay to accurately estimate the location of the geometric center of targets and to estimate the maximum distance of targets to the estimated geometric center of targets. The relative desired position of agents is achievable by employing the estimated maximum distance of targets to the estimated geometric center of targets. The employment of the estimated profile of targets and the relative desired position of agents allows for improved tracking and coordination among the agents, enhancing the effectiveness of the engaged encirclement control. To assess the stability of the closed-loop system, we employ the Lyapunov technique for analysis. Finally, we conduct simulations to evaluate the effectiveness of our proposed methodology.