  The problem of adversary target detection and the subsequent task completion
using a heterogeneous network of resource-constrained UAVs is considered. No
prior knowledge about locations and required resources to identify these
targets is available to the UAVs. In the proposed leader-follower coalition
formation model, the UAV that first locates a target serves as the coalition
leader and selects a group of follower UAVs to complete the task associated
with the identified target. The goal of the coalition formation is to complete
the designated tasks with minimal resource utilization. Another role of
coalition members is to make the ground station aware of the detected adversary
target by forwarding its signal to the station via a distributed cooperative
relaying scheme. We also propose a reputation-based mechanism for coalition
formation to monitor the cooperative behavior of the UAVs over the course of
time and exclude potentially untrustworthy UAVs. Simulation results show the
efficiency of the proposed method in forming optimal coalitions compared to
alternative methods.

Multiagent Systems