Parameters estimation using mABC algorithm applied to distributed tracking control of unknown nonlinear fractional-order multi-agent systems.

• Nonlinear FOMASs with external disturbances and unknown parameters are considered. • A modified artificial bee colony (mABC) algorithm is put forward. • A parameters estimation method based on the proposed mABC algorithm is proposed. • A distributed tracking control protocol based on the estimated parameters is designed. This paper addresses the parameters estimation and distributed tracking control of unknown nonlinear fractional-order multi-agent systems (FOMASs) with external disturbances from the viewpoint of optimization. Firstly, a modified artificial bee colony (mABC) algorithm is put forward to enhance the exploration and exploitation abilities of the original ABC algorithm. Secondly, a parameters estimation approach based on the above mABC algorithm is proposed to estimate the unknown fractional orders and system parameters, where the parameters estimation is converted into a multi-dimensional functional optimization problem. Thirdly, the obtained parameters estimation values are further utilized to construct a distributed control algorithm for solving the tracking control problem. Finally, the experimental results illustrate that the proposed approaches can accurately estimate and robustly control such unknown nonlinear FOMASs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]