Design, Modeling, and Control of UAV Systems
A special issue of Actuators (ISSN 2076-0825). This special issue belongs to the section "Aerospace Actuators".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 April 2026 | Viewed by 4122
Special Issue Editors
Interests: unmanned system navigation and control; precision sensing; computer vision; intelligent algorithm
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: motion planning for multi quadrotor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are at the forefront of modern technological innovation, revolutionizing fields from agriculture to defense. The increasing complexity and autonomy required for these systems necessitate advanced approaches in their design, modeling, and control. This Special Issue, "Design, Modeling, and Control of UAV Systems," seeks to explore cutting-edge research and development in these crucial areas.
In recent years, the demand for UAVs capable of performing sophisticated tasks in dynamic and uncertain environments has escalated. To address this need, innovative methodologies that encompass aerodynamic design, structural optimization, flight dynamics, and control strategies are paramount. Advanced control algorithms, real-time systems integration, and robust modeling techniques are essential to enhancing UAV performance, reliability, and safety. The intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and control theory has also brought forth novel approaches to autonomous flight, multi-UAV coordination, and adaptive control systems.
This Special Issue encourages the submission of original research on topics including, but not limited to, UAV system design, aerodynamics, control system optimization, path planning, autonomous navigation, sensor fusion, fault-tolerant control, and human–UAV interaction. Contributions that address the challenges and advancements in the modeling and control of UAVs in diverse operational scenarios are particularly welcome. Through this Special Issue, we aim to advance the understanding and capabilities of UAV systems, supporting their deployment in increasingly complex and critical applications.
The current Special Issue includes topics on, but not limited to, the following areas:
- UAV airframe design;
- Aerodynamic modeling and simulation;
- Robust and adaptive flight control algorithms;
- Intelligent sensing and navigation control;
- SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping);
- Fault-tolerant control systems;
- Propulsion systems and energy management;
- Payload integration;
- Machine learning and AI in UAV systems;
- Multi-sensor data fusion techniques;
- Environmental perception and situational awareness;
- Advanced sensor technologies for UAVs;
- Autonomous flight planning and mission execution;
- Obstacle detection and avoidance strategies;
- UAV communication systems;
- Fault detection and recovery;
- Multi-UAV coordination and formation control;
- Novel UAV applications.
Prof. Dr. Lihui Wang
Prof. Dr. Bailing Tian
Dr. Hongyang Bai
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
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. Actuators 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.
Keywords
- UAV system design
- aerodynamics
- control system optimization
- path planning
- autonomous navigation
- sensor fusion
- fault-tolerant control
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