AI-Assisted Formation Control in UAV Swarms


Hello, my name is Gülistan Subaşı. I am an Electrical and Electronics Engineering student at Istanbul Gelişim University. In 2024, we received TÜBİTAK 2209-A support for our project, “Design of an AI-Assisted Decision-Making Mechanism and Data Analysis for Formation Control in UAV Swarms,” which we developed together with my academic advisor, Kübra Erdoğan, and my classmate, Fatma Ceyhan.
 
This project originated from a need I identified during my compulsory summer internship. As UAV swarm systems became increasingly common in the industry, I noticed a need for systems that could improve mission efficiency. I decided to combine my academic knowledge with this real-world problem and develop a model that could be useful in practical applications.
 
In my project, I developed an AI-assisted algorithm that recommends the most suitable formation based on parameters such as mission type and the number of UAVs. I ran simulations using Gazebo and ROS2 and integrated the system’s flight dynamics with PX4 Autopilot.
 
We presented our findings as oral presentations at two academic conferences. I also completed this work as my graduation project. Through this project, I had the opportunity to develop both my technical and academic skills. By demonstrating that an AI-based decision-making mechanism could be integrated into swarm systems, we made a tangible contribution to the field. I aim to apply the experience I have gained to larger projects in the future.