A Hybrid Method to Solve the Multi-UAV Dynamic Task Assignment Problem

In the rapidly evolving field of aerial robotics, the coordinated management of multiple unmanned aerial vehicle (multi-UAV) systems to address complex and dynamic environments is increasingly critical. Multi-UAV systems promise enhanced efficiency and effectiveness in various applications, from dis...

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Main Authors: Shahad Alqefari, Mohamed El Bachir Menai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Sensors
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/8/2502
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author Shahad Alqefari
Mohamed El Bachir Menai
author_facet Shahad Alqefari
Mohamed El Bachir Menai
author_sort Shahad Alqefari
collection DOAJ
description In the rapidly evolving field of aerial robotics, the coordinated management of multiple unmanned aerial vehicle (multi-UAV) systems to address complex and dynamic environments is increasingly critical. Multi-UAV systems promise enhanced efficiency and effectiveness in various applications, from disaster response to infrastructure inspection, by leveraging the collective capabilities of UAV fleets. However, the dynamic nature of such environments presents significant challenges in task allocation and real-time adaptability. This paper introduces a novel hybrid algorithm designed to optimize multi-UAV task assignments in dynamic environments. State-of-the-art solutions in this domain have exhibited limitations, particularly in rapidly responding to dynamic changes and effectively scaling to large-scale environments. The proposed solution bridges these gaps by combining clustering to group and assign tasks in an initial offline phase with a dynamic partial reassignment process that locally updates assignments in response to real-time changes, all within a centralized–distributed communication topology. The simulation results validate the superiority of the proposed solution and demonstrate its improvements in efficiency and responsiveness over existing solutions. Additionally, the results highlight the scalability of the solution in handling large-scale problems and demonstrate its ability to efficiently manage a growing number of UAVs and tasks. It also demonstrated robust adaptability and enhanced mission effectiveness across a wide range of dynamic events and different scale scenarios.
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spelling doaj-art-4cff653a4dbb4c4e863ba1269a5de3d82025-08-20T02:18:10ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202025-04-01258250210.3390/s25082502A Hybrid Method to Solve the Multi-UAV Dynamic Task Assignment ProblemShahad Alqefari0Mohamed El Bachir Menai1Department of Computer Science, College of Computer and Information Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Computer Science, College of Computer and Information Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi ArabiaIn the rapidly evolving field of aerial robotics, the coordinated management of multiple unmanned aerial vehicle (multi-UAV) systems to address complex and dynamic environments is increasingly critical. Multi-UAV systems promise enhanced efficiency and effectiveness in various applications, from disaster response to infrastructure inspection, by leveraging the collective capabilities of UAV fleets. However, the dynamic nature of such environments presents significant challenges in task allocation and real-time adaptability. This paper introduces a novel hybrid algorithm designed to optimize multi-UAV task assignments in dynamic environments. State-of-the-art solutions in this domain have exhibited limitations, particularly in rapidly responding to dynamic changes and effectively scaling to large-scale environments. The proposed solution bridges these gaps by combining clustering to group and assign tasks in an initial offline phase with a dynamic partial reassignment process that locally updates assignments in response to real-time changes, all within a centralized–distributed communication topology. The simulation results validate the superiority of the proposed solution and demonstrate its improvements in efficiency and responsiveness over existing solutions. Additionally, the results highlight the scalability of the solution in handling large-scale problems and demonstrate its ability to efficiently manage a growing number of UAVs and tasks. It also demonstrated robust adaptability and enhanced mission effectiveness across a wide range of dynamic events and different scale scenarios.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/8/2502multi-UAV systemsdynamic task allocationhybrid algorithmUAV clustering techniquesreal-time UAV coordination
spellingShingle Shahad Alqefari
Mohamed El Bachir Menai
A Hybrid Method to Solve the Multi-UAV Dynamic Task Assignment Problem
Sensors
multi-UAV systems
dynamic task allocation
hybrid algorithm
UAV clustering techniques
real-time UAV coordination
title A Hybrid Method to Solve the Multi-UAV Dynamic Task Assignment Problem
title_full A Hybrid Method to Solve the Multi-UAV Dynamic Task Assignment Problem
title_fullStr A Hybrid Method to Solve the Multi-UAV Dynamic Task Assignment Problem
title_full_unstemmed A Hybrid Method to Solve the Multi-UAV Dynamic Task Assignment Problem
title_short A Hybrid Method to Solve the Multi-UAV Dynamic Task Assignment Problem
title_sort hybrid method to solve the multi uav dynamic task assignment problem
topic multi-UAV systems
dynamic task allocation
hybrid algorithm
UAV clustering techniques
real-time UAV coordination
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/8/2502
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