First and second-order Cucker-Smale models with non-universal interaction, time delay and communication failures

In this paper, we deal with first and second-order alignment models with non-universal interaction, time delay and possible lack of connection between the agents. More precisely, we analyze the situation in which the system’s agents do not transmit information to all the other agents and also agents that are linked to each other can suspend their interaction at certain times. Moreover, we take into account possible time lags in the interactions. To deal with the considered non-universal interaction, a graph topology over the structure of the model has to be considered. Under a so-called Persistence Excitation Condition, we establish the exponential convergence to consensus for both models whenever the digraph that describes the interaction between the agents is strongly connected.