Adaptive Output Synchronization for a Class of Uncertain Nonlinear Multi-Agent Systems Over Switching Networks

In this article, we first study the leader-following output synchronization problem for a class of uncertain nonlinear multi-agent systems over jointly connected switching networks. Our approach integrates the output-based adaptive distributed observer, the conventional adaptive control technique, and the output regulation theory. Compared with the existing results, our control law only relies on the output of the leader instead of the state of the leader and allows the followers and the leader to have different orders. Then, we further consider the rejection of a class of bounded disturbances with unknown bounds. Our problem includes the state consensus problem as a special case if the followers and the leader have the same order. Our result is illustrated by a numerical example.