Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42740164›Full record

ArticleSensors (Basel, Switzerland)2026

Integrated Trajectory Planning, MEC Offloading, and Safety Coordination for Multi-UAV Disaster Response.

Rakan Armoush, Shidrokh Goudarzi, Muhammad Nadeem Khan, Alireza Esfahani

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Sensors (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Rakan ArmoushSchool of Computing and Engineering, University of West London, London W5 5RF, UK.
Shidrokh GoudarziSchool of Computing and Engineering, University of West London, London W5 5RF, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-0383-3553
Muhammad Nadeem KhanSchool of Computing and Engineering, University of West London, London W5 5RF, UK.ORCID 0009-0000-9736-9303
Alireza EsfahaniSchool of Computing and Engineering, University of West London, London W5 5RF, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Rapid, reliable, and energy-efficient data collection is essential for disaster response, where terrestrial communication networks may be disrupted or unavailable. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) provide a flexible means of collecting critical sensing data, but their operation is constrained by limited onboard energy, stochastic wireless conditions, complex three-dimensional environments, and stringent latency requirements. This paper presents a structured multi-UAV framework that separates mission optimisation into spatial, temporal, and safety layers. In the spatial layer, a three-dimensional Travelling Salesman Problem with Neighbourhoods (3D-TSPN) formulation enables UAVs to collect data by entering valid sensing regions rather than visiting exact sensor coordinates. An Age of Information (AoI)-aware Genetic Algorithm (GA) optimises the sensor-visitation sequence, while Rapidly Exploring Random Tree Connect (RRT-Connect) generates obstacle-aware feasible paths in the three-dimensional environment. In the temporal layer, a Lyapunov-based controller selects between local processing and binary offloading to a single Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) node according to queue backlog, processing delay, energy consumption, information freshness, wireless-link feasibility, and task deadlines. In the safety layer, continuous-time conflict detection and bounded temporal or spatial adjustments are used to monitor and mitigate inter-UAV and obstacle-related risks. The framework is evaluated under stochastic wireless, mobility, computation, and obstacle conditions using 20 independent random seeds. Across the corresponding 20 proposed-policy runs, it achieves a 100% mission-validity rate, complete sensor coverage, no dropped tasks, and zero final collision or near-miss events. Compared with planning-oriented and MEC-oriented baselines, the proposed framework achieves lower information age, average delay, processing delay, energy consumption, and system cost under the evaluated conditions, while maintaining reliable multi-UAV coordination. The layered design also clarifies the contribution of each component: 3D-TSPN provides spatial flexibility, the AoI-aware GA improves route sequencing, RRT-Connect supports obstacle-aware path feasibility, Lyapunov control enables queue-aware processing decisions, and safety monitoring supports coordinated multi-UAV operation. These results indicate that integrating spatial planning, computation control, and safety coordination within a clearly separated layered architecture can provide an effective solution for multi-UAV disaster-response data collection in complex three-dimensional environments.

Indexed as

3D path planning3D-TSPNaerial data collectionAge of Information (AoI)AoI-aware genetic algorithmbinary MEC offloadingcollision monitoringdisaster responseLyapunov optimisationmulti-UAV coordinationqueue stabilityRRT-ConnectUnmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

Identifiers

PMID42740164
PMCPMC13567939

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.