Safe and Energy-Aware Decentralized PDE-Constrained Optimization-Based Control of Multi-UAVs for Persistent Wildfire Suppression

Abstract

This paper presents a safe and energy-aware optimization-based control framework for multi-UAV wildfire suppression under localization and motion uncertainties. We first develop a centralized density-based controller that couples UAV motion and water deployment in a wildfire-specific control Lyapunov function. This framework is then extended to a decentralized setting suitable for large-scale operations using only local information. The controllers use control barrier function constraints to enforce both danger zone avoidance and the ability to reach a charging region. Simulations and real quadcopter experiments demonstrate the controller's effectiveness in fire suppression while preserving safety and energy sufficiency over multiple charge cycles.

arXiv commentAccepted to the 18th International Symposium on Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems (DARS 2026)