We propose a novel scheme for surveillance of a dynamic ground convoy moving along a non-linear trajectory, by aerial agents that maintain a uniformly spaced formation on a time-varying elliptical orbit encompassing the convoy. Elliptical orbits are used as they are more economical than circular orbits for circumnavigating the group of targets in the moving convoy. The proposed scheme includes an algorithm for computing feasible elliptical orbits, a vector guidance law for agent motion along the desired orbit, and a cooperative strategy to control the speeds of the aerial agents in order to quickly achieve and maintain the desired formation. It achieves mission objectives while accounting for linear and angular speed constraints on the aerial agents. The scheme is validated through simulations and actual experiments with a convoy of ground robots and a team of quadrotors as the aerial agents, in a motion capture environment.

翻译：我们提出了一个新的计划,用于监测沿非线性轨道移动的动态地面车队,由航空代理人在包括车队在内的时间分布的椭圆轨道上保持统一空间编队,使用椭圆轨道比环绕流动车队中目标群的环绕环绕轨道更经济,拟议计划包括计算可行的椭圆轨道的算法、在理想轨道上移动代理人的矢量指导法以及控制航空代理人速度的合作战略,以便迅速达到并维持预期编队,在计算航空代理人线性和角速度限制的同时,实现飞行任务目标,在运动捕捉环境中,通过与地面机器人车队和作为航空代理人的四方飞行器小组进行模拟和实际实验,该计划得到验证。