Distributed optimal control of nonlinear multi‐agent systems based on integral reinforcement learning

In this article, a distributed optimal control approach is proposed for a class of affine nonlinear multi‐agent systems (MASs) with unknown nonlinear dynamics. The game theory is used to formulate the distributed optimal control problem into a differential graphical game problem with synchronized updates of all nodes. A data‐based integral reinforcement learning (IRL) algorithm is used to learn the solution of the coupled Hamilton–Jacobi (HJ) equation without prior knowledge of the drift dynamics, and the actor‐critic neural networks (A‐C NNs) are used to approximate the control law and the cost function, respectively. To update the parameters synchronously, the gradient descent algorithm is used to design the weight update laws of the A‐C NNs. Combining the IRL and the A‐C NNs, a distributed consensus optimal control method is designed. By using the Lyapunov stability theory, the developed optimal control method can show that all signals in the considered system are uniformly ultimately bounded (UUB), and the systems can achieve Nash equilibrium when all agents update their controllers simultaneously. Finally, simulation results are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the developed optimal control approach.