To solve the formation problem of multiple autonomous underwater vehicles(AUVs),a formation control method based on the improved leader-follower method is proposed in this paper.The method is verified by simulation experiment and lake experiment. The leader-follower formation control method is improved by simplifying the control of heading and speed into a single speed control for the follower. A multi-stage precise speed control method is used for formation control. Then,the method is verified by simulation experiment,and the key control parameters are determined. Finally,a set of formation evaluation index is established,and the proposed method is verified by field tests. The result proves that the proposed method performs well in terms of response speed,accuracy and stability.