Advanced Methods in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Control, Navigation, and Safety

Dear Colleagues,

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are gaining popularity in the smart city context due to their ability to support human operators in highly valuable tasks such as real-time monitoring applications, infrastructure inspection, disaster management, aerial imaging, and goods delivery.

These tasks require processing large volumes of data that may exceed the computational capabilities of the agents. Efficient data offloading strategies and Compute Continuum paradigms enable the delegation of computationally intensive operations to distributed infrastructures spanning the edge, fog, and cloud layers.  By aggregating and processing data from multiple sources, it is possible to replicate UAV operating conditions on a Digital Twin, thereby enabling proactive decision making based on behavioral prediction.

Additionally, efficient guidance, navigation, and control algorithms are essential to address the complex requirements of multi-agent interactions and cooperation in dynamic urban environments, where safe and reliable operations play a crucial role. Moreover, distributed control approaches and artificial intelligence strategies further enhance adaptability, autonomy, and real-time situational awareness.

Lastly, security and cybersecurity remain critical aspects of UAV management, as their architecture exposes them to malicious attacks. Thus, robust protection mechanisms and energy-efficient communication protocols are fundamental to ensure reliable and sustainable autonomous operations within smart cities.

Dr. Salvatore Rosario Bassolillo
Dr. Vito Antonio Nardi
Dr. Giuseppe Tricomi
Topic Editors