Advanced Navigation, Control and Application of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Dear Colleagues,

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, have emerged as a versatile and transformative technology with a wide range of applications spanning various fields, including the military, civilian, environmental, agricultural, and industrial sectors. Over the past few decades, significant progress has been made in the development of UAVs, leading to increasingly sophisticated systems capable of autonomous flight, navigation, and versatile applications. The amalgamation of advanced navigation algorithms, cutting-edge control techniques, and innovative applications has paved the way for UAVs to revolutionize traditional industries and open up new frontiers in scientific research.

The rapid advancement in UAV technology has been primarily driven by breakthroughs in key areas such as sensing, communication, and artificial intelligence. As a result, UAVs are now equipped with an array of sophisticated sensors, including GPS, LiDAR, cameras, and other environmental sensors, enabling them to perceive their surroundings with remarkable precision. Moreover, advancements in communication systems allow for real-time data exchange between the UAV and ground stations, facilitating seamless control and navigation even in challenging environments.

Navigation lies at the core of UAV operations, enabling them to traverse dynamic and complex terrains, avoid obstacles, and reach designated destinations autonomously. Traditional control methods have evolved into intelligent and adaptive control strategies, incorporating machine learning and data-driven approaches to enhance flight stability, energy efficiency, and safety. These advancements have significantly reduced the reliance on human pilots, making UAVs increasingly autonomous, reliable, and cost-effective.

This Special Issue aims to explore the latest developments in advanced navigation and control techniques for UAVs and their diverse applications. The research presented here will delve into novel algorithms and methodologies that contribute to precise localization, obstacle avoidance, path planning, and cooperative navigation of UAV swarms. Moreover, this Special Issue will shed light on the integration emerging technologies, such as 5G networks, edge computing, and Internet of Things (IoT) platforms, into UAVs, further expanding their capabilities and potential applications.

Dr. Cai Luo
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Machines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.