Advances in Intelligent Cluster Collaborative Control for Optimization Decision-Making

Dear Colleagues,

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, and edge computing, intelligent cluster systems, such as multi-robot systems, drone swarms, and distributed sensor networks, have emerged as key enablers of sustainable transformation across various sectors. These systems are increasingly deployed in smart manufacturing, environmental monitoring, disaster response, and logistics, offering substantial potential to enhance resource efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and strengthen adaptive capacity in dynamic environments. However, the collaborative control and optimization of such clusters remain challenging due to their inherent complexity, scalability demands, and operational uncertainties. In this Special Issue, we address these challenges by exploring advanced theories, models, and algorithms for intelligent cluster coordination and optimization, with a strong emphasis on improving system autonomy, energy efficiency, and environmental performance in support of global sustainability agendas, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as SDG 9, SDG 11, and SDG 13. We particularly welcome contributions that demonstrate how intelligent collaborative control technologies facilitate sustainable innovation by advancing energy conservation, resource circularity, and low-carbon transitions in areas such as mobility, agriculture, manufacturing, and smart cities.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute your latest research findings and reviews to this Special Issue.

Aim of the Special Issue and how the subject relates to the journal scope

In this Special Issue, we aim to present cutting-edge research on intelligent cluster systems, with a focus on collaborative control and optimization decision-making that will directly support sustainable development. This topic aligns closely with the journal's scope regarding automation, intelligent systems, computational intelligence, and decision support systems, particularly through applications that reduce environmental impact, enhance resource efficiency, and promote resilient and low-carbon infrastructure. By fostering interdisciplinary dialogue among systems engineering, computational intelligence, and sustainability science, in this Issue, we seek to advance decision-making frameworks that integrate lifecycle efficiency, data-driven environmental management, and policy-aware design. We encourage submissions that explore how intelligent cluster technologies contribute to sustainable industrial transformation, environmental well-being, and socially responsible innovation.

Suggested themes and article types for submissions

In this Special Issue, submissions of original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

Multi-agent reinforcement learning for sustainable cluster control;

Distributed optimization for energy and resource efficiency;

Swarm intelligence and bio-inspired collaboration in sustainable applications;

Dynamic task allocation and scheduling for low-carbon operations;

Consensus and formation control supporting resilient and sustainable infrastructures;

Human–cluster interaction for sustainable decision-making;

Resilience and fault tolerance in cluster systems for sustainable services;

Edge intelligence and real-time decision-making in sustainable applications;

Applications in smart cities, green logistics, precision agriculture, environmental surveillance, and sustainable manufacturing.

Dr. Lei Zhu
Prof. Dr. Wei Yue
Guest Editors

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. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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.

• intelligent cluster systems
• cooperative control
• optimization algorithms
• multi-agent systems
• swarm robotics
• sustainable decision-making
• distributed intelligence
• autonomous systems
• edge computing
• task allocation
• sustainability
• green computing
• low-carbon operations
• resource efficiency