Distributed tracking control for linear multi-agent systems with a leader of bounded input using output information

This paper considers the distributed tracking control problem of multi-agent systems with general linear dynamics and a leader whose control input is nonzero and available to only a subset of followers. Based on the relative output information of neighboring agents, two distributed observer-based controllers with, respectively, static and adaptive coupling gains, are designed for each follower to ensure that the states of the followers asymptotically approach the state of the leader, if the communication graph among the followers is undirected, the leader has directed paths to all followers, and the leader's control input is bounded. A sufficient condition for the existence of the distributed controllers is that each agent is stabilizable and detectable. Simulation examples are given to illustrate the theoretical results.