This paper considers a network of vehicles moving in a two dimensional plane. The overall network, described by a collection of double integrator dynamics, is controlled by a novel distributed static output feedback methodology to maintain a desired formation. The distributed control architecture stabilizes the network using static output feedback of position information only, by exploiting delays in communication of the relative information. An optimization algorithm, based on Linear Matrix Inequalities together with the DIRECT search algorithm, is used to synthesize the controller gains and the delay. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.