ROS2 based Distributed Task Assignment for Heterogeneous Unmannded Vehicles: Evaluation through SITL and HITL Hwan-Yong Park School of Mechanical and Robotics Engineering Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology

Abstract

This paper proposes a ROS 2 based distributed dynamic task assignment framework for heterogeneous unmanned vehicles (UVs) engaged in large scale, time critical missions and validates it through Software and Hardware in the Loop (SITL/HITL) experiments. Re- current motion patterns—wide area search, multi view observation, and manoeuvring by altitude—are first formalised as operational modes and automatically transformed into real time ROS 2 tasks by parameterised path generation software. Reference implementations of the Asynchronous Consensus Based Bundle Algorithm (ACBBA) and a Distributed Auc- tion are then encapsulated as modular ROS 2 nodes with DDS interfaces, enabling direct comparison with a centralised Hungarian benchmark. A multi device test bed that couples Jetson Orin Nano companion computers, Pixhawk 6C mini flight controllers, and Gazebo Classic/Garden simulators reproduces realistic sensing and control loops, allowing quanti- tative evaluation of algorithm performance. Across scenarios containing 3 – 12 tasks and 3 – 6 agents, the Distributed Auction matches the centralised optimum in wide area search, whereas ACBBA outperforms all other methods in multi view observation and altitude strat- ified manoeuvre. These findings indicate that, with appropriately designed reward functions and message protocols, ROS 2 middleware can support real time, near optimal coordination of mixed UAV/UGV teams without a single point of failure. Furthermore, the source code and datasets produced in this study are expected to facilitate subsequent research aimed at enhancing the robustness and scalability of autonomous swarm mission planning. ©2025 Hwan-Yong Park ALL RIGHTS RESERVED|본연구는대규모 ·시간제약임무를수행하는이기종무인이동체(UV)를대상으로, ROS 2기반분산동적작업할당프레임워크를제안하고 SITL및 HITL환경에서타당성 을입증한다.먼저광역탐색,다시점관찰,고도별기동의반복경로패턴을운용모드로 정식화한후,파라미터화된경로생성소프트웨어를통해이를실시간 ROS 2과업으로자 동변환하였다.이어서Asynchronous Consensus Based Bundle Algorithm(ACBBA)과Dis- tributed Auction을 DDS 인터페이스를 갖춘 모듈형 ROS 2 노드로 구현하여, 중앙집중형 Hungarian 알고리즘과 직접 비교 가능한 구조를 마련하였다. Jetson Orin Nano · Pixhawk 6C mini, Gazebo Classic/Garden을연동한다중장치 SITL · HITL테스트베드를구축함으 로써실제센서 ·제어루프를모사한조건에서알고리즘성능을정량평가하였다. 3 – 12 개과업및 3 – 6개에이전트시나리오에서 Distributed Auction은광역탐색모드에서중앙 집중해와거의동일한결과를보였고, ACBBA는다시점관찰및고도분할기동모드에서 최우수 성능을 기록하였다. 이 같은 결과는 보상 함수와 메시지 프로토콜만 적절히 설계 하면 ROS 2 미들웨어 상에서도 UAV-UGV 혼합 팀의 실시간 ·준최적 협조가 가능함을 시사한다.아울러,본연구를통해개발한소스코드와데이터셋은자율군집임무계획의 탄력성 ·확장성향상을위한후속연구에기여할것으로기대된다. ©2025 박환용 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED