COOPERATIVE THREAT ENGAGEMENT WITH HETEROGENEOUS DRONE SWARMS

Abstract

© 2022 ICAS. All Rights Reserved.The ability of multiple manned and unmanned aircraft systems to cooperatively engage and disable an aerial threat plays a decisive role in modern warfare scenarios. In this paper, we apply key methods to enable the so-called cooperative threat engagement capability among multiple networked agents, e.g., a swarm of drones, with combat and communication capabilities. In particular, this research combines AI-based decision-making and control techniques for a swarm of loyal wingman drones to coordinate efficient defense actions in cooperative and autonomous manner. We apply these concepts in a defense scenario, modeled to analyze the loyal wingman concept, which we consider an interesting testbed for cooperative decision-making as well as low-level control techniques. The methodologies were merged with the creation of a 3D UAV simulator to provide an application and evaluation of behavior strategies and control methods.

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