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In this paper, we present a novel distributed algorithm (herein called MaxCUCL) designed to guarantee that max-consensus is reached in networks characterized by unreliable communication links (i.e., links suffering from packet drops). Our proposed algorithm is the first algorithm that achieves max-consensus in a deterministic manner (i.e., nodes always calculate the maximum of their states regardless of the nature of the probability distribution of the packet drops). Furthermore, it allows nodes to determine whether convergence has been achieved (enabling them to transition to subsequent tasks). The operation of MaxCUCL relies on the deployment of narrowband error-free feedback channels used for acknowledging whether a packet transmission between nodes was successful. We analyze the operation of our algorithm and show that it converges after a finite number of time steps. Finally, we demonstrate our algorithm's effectiveness and practical applicability by applying it to a sensor network deployed for environmental monitoring.

This paper considers a strongly connected network of agents, each capable of partially observing and controlling a discrete-time linear time-invariant (LTI) system that is jointly observable and controllable. Additionally, agents collaborate to achieve a shared estimated state, computed as the average of their local state estimates. Recent studies suggest that increasing the number of average consensus steps between state estimation updates allows agents to choose from a wider range of state feedback controllers, thereby potentially enhancing control performance. However, such approaches require that agents know the input matrices of all other nodes, and the selection of control gains is, in general, centralized. Motivated by the limitations of such approaches, we propose a new technique where: (i) estimation and control gain design is fully distributed and finite-time, and (ii) agent coordination involves a finite-time exact average consensus algorithm, allowing arbitrary selection of estimation convergence rate despite the estimator's distributed nature. We verify our methodology's effectiveness using illustrative numerical simulations.