Autonomous Space Logistics Using Swarm Drones

Abstract

We propose a decentralized, fault-tolerant architecture for autonomous space logistics through the use of cooperative swarm drones-maneuverable small robotic agents-for in-space transport, on-orbit replenishment, and servicing. It combines: 1) decentralized task-allocation through auction + consensus, 2) collision-free distributed trajectory generation, and 3) optimal fuel/Δvaware routing tailored to orbital dynamics. We validate results in high-fidelity orbital simulations and with representative small-satellite swarm demonstrations from the recent literature. Improvements in mission throughput and graceful degradation upon agent loss are demonstrated, with reductions in per-task Δv compared to single large-servicer architectures.