This paper addresses task allocation to coordinate a fleet of autonomous vehicles by presenting two decentralized algorithms: the consensus-based auction algorithm (CBAA) and its generalization to the multi-assignment problem, i.e., the consensus-based bundle algorithm (CBBA). These algorithms utilize a market-based decision strategy as the mechanism for decentralized task selection and use a consensus routine based on local communication as the conflict resolution mechanism to achieve agreement on the winning bid values. Under reasonable assumptions on the scoring scheme, both of the proposed algorithms are proven to guarantee convergence to a conflict-free assignment, and it is shown that the converged solutions exhibit provable worst-case performance. It is also demonstrated that CBAA and CBBA produce conflict-free feasible solutions that are robust to both inconsistencies in the situational awareness across the fleet and variations in the communication network topology. Numerical experiments confirm superior convergence properties and performance when compared with existing auction-based task-allocation algorithms.

Abstract-This paper extends the consensus-based bundle algorithm (CBBA), a distributed task allocation framework previously developed by the authors, to address complex missions for a team of heterogeneous agents in a dynamic environment. The extended algorithm proposes appropriate handling of time windows of validity for tasks, fuel costs of the vehicles, and heterogeneity in the agent capabilities, while preserving the robust convergence properties of the original algorithm. An architecture to facilitate real-time task replanning in a dynamic environment, along with methods to handle varying communication constraints and dynamic network topologies, is also presented. Simulation results and experimental flight tests in an indoor test environment verify the proposed task planning methodology for complex missions.

This paper analyzes task assignment for heterogeneous air vehicles using a guaranteed conflict-free assignment algorithm, the Consensus Based Bundle Algorithm (CBBA). We extend this recently proposed algorithm to handle two realistic multi-UAV operational complications. Our first extension accounts for obstacle regions in order to generate collision free paths for UAVs. Our second extension reduces task planner sensitivity to sensor measurement noise, and thereby minimizes churning behavior in flight paths. After integrating our enhanced CBBA module with a 3D visualization and interaction software tool, we simulate multiple aircraft servicing stationary and moving ground targets. Preliminary simulation results establish that consistent, conflict-free multi-UAV path assignments can be calculated on the order of a few seconds. The enhanced CBBA consequently demonstrates significant potential for real-time performance in stressing environments.

This paper addresses planning of continuous paths for mobile sensors to reduce uncertainty in some quantities of interest in the future. The mutual information between the continuous measurement path and the future verification variables defines the information reward. Two expressions for computing this mutual information are presented: the filter form extended from the state-of-the-art and the smoother form inspired by the conditional independence structure. The key properties of the approach using the filter and smoother strategies are presented and compared. The smoother form is shown to be preferable because it provides better computational efficiency, facilitates easy integration with existing path synthesis tools, and most importantly, enables correct quantification of the rate of information accumulation. A spatial interpolation technique is used to relate the motion of the sensor to the evolution of the measurement matrix, which leads to the formulation of the optimal path planning problem. A gradient-ascent steering law based on the concept of information potential field is also presented as a computationally efficient suboptimal strategy. A simplified weather forecasting example is used to compare several planning methodologies and to illustrate the potential performance benefits of using the proposed planning approach.