MultiAO: A Novel Optimizer Inspired by Collaborative Intelligence in Complex Systems for Delivery Path Planning in UAV Clusters

preprint OA: closed
Full text JSON View at publisher
Full text 10,799 characters · extracted from preprint-html · click to expand
MultiAO: A Novel Optimizer Inspired by Collaborative Intelligence in Complex Systems for Delivery Path Planning in UAV Clusters | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article MultiAO: A Novel Optimizer Inspired by Collaborative Intelligence in Complex Systems for Delivery Path Planning in UAV Clusters Weifei Gan, Xiliang Zhang This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9010250/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Within the complex domain of cluster optimization, high-dimensional decision-making environments have persistently confronted formidable optimization bottlenecks. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a novel multi-agent optimization algorithm predicated upon a state-dependent dynamic evolution mechanism, designated as the Multi-Agent Optimizer (MultiAO). The primary contributions of this work are threefold. First, we introduce an innovative algorithmic framework characterized by three distinct evolutionary phases: gravitational accretion and centroid rebellion, orthogonal singularity decoupling, and a hysteresis effect coupled with a memory potential field, which accurately capture agent state changes across different search stages. Second, we provide rigorous empirical validation across two dimensions of the CEC2022 benchmark suite. MultiAO ranked first in comparative analyses against five highly-cited and five recently proposed algorithms, yielding average Friedman rankings of 2 and 2.25. Finally, we successfully deploy the algorithm to solve complex real-world engineering challenges, specifically unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) path planning across urban, mountainous, and composite terrains. In both single-UAV and multi-UAV contexts, MultiAO consistently exhibited optimal convergence, achieving a minimum optimal value as low as 324.332 in multi-UAV scenarios. These contributions collectively demonstrate the superior cluster optimization capabilities of MultiAO, establishing it as a highly competitive metaheuristic algorithm and providing a significantly more robust application paradigm for the field. Cluster Optimization MultiAO Algorithm Metaheuristic Algorithm Multi-Agent System Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Path Planning Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9010250","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":607637209,"identity":"86e38998-0730-4cf6-947b-c6405282b01a","order_by":0,"name":"Weifei Gan","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAyklEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDAC5gNAogLK4SFKC1sCkDhDshbGNlK0GBxjv/i5cF6dvblEAuODt20M8uaEtfAUS8/cdjhx54wEZsO5bQyGOxsIaDG735MgzbvtQILBjQQ2ad42hgSDA4S0HONJ/s07p84eqIX9N5Fa2I9J8zYwM24A2sJMlBb7Yzxs1jzHgH7pedgsOeechOEGQlok29gf3+apAYYYe/LBD2/KbOQJ2gKMCwMwZcDA2ACkJAiqBwL2B1Ato2AUjIJRMApwAAD5BT2YXPDjbAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Shanghai Polytechnic University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Weifei","middleName":"","lastName":"Gan","suffix":""},{"id":607637210,"identity":"09aa6b88-d47f-49bf-8a95-df57616c4937","order_by":1,"name":"Xiliang Zhang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Shanghai Polytechnic University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Xiliang","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhang","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-03-02 12:39:54","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9010250/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9010250/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":105166449,"identity":"e70cea57-11df-4156-a77b-38009417057e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-23 02:10:30","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":2289414,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ManuscriptV2.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9010250/v1_covered_d69ea2f1-9db7-43fa-a832-da2b09258549.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"MultiAO: A Novel Optimizer Inspired by Collaborative Intelligence in Complex Systems for Delivery Path Planning in UAV Clusters","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Cluster Optimization, MultiAO Algorithm, Metaheuristic Algorithm, Multi-Agent System, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Path Planning","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9010250/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9010250/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eWithin the complex domain of cluster optimization, high-dimensional decision-making environments have persistently confronted formidable optimization bottlenecks. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a novel multi-agent optimization algorithm predicated upon a state-dependent dynamic evolution mechanism, designated as the Multi-Agent Optimizer (MultiAO). The primary contributions of this work are threefold. First, we introduce an innovative algorithmic framework characterized by three distinct evolutionary phases: gravitational accretion and centroid rebellion, orthogonal singularity decoupling, and a hysteresis effect coupled with a memory potential field, which accurately capture agent state changes across different search stages. Second, we provide rigorous empirical validation across two dimensions of the CEC2022 benchmark suite. MultiAO ranked first in comparative analyses against five highly-cited and five recently proposed algorithms, yielding average Friedman rankings of 2 and 2.25. Finally, we successfully deploy the algorithm to solve complex real-world engineering challenges, specifically unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) path planning across urban, mountainous, and composite terrains. In both single-UAV and multi-UAV contexts, MultiAO consistently exhibited optimal convergence, achieving a minimum optimal value as low as 324.332 in multi-UAV scenarios. These contributions collectively demonstrate the superior cluster optimization capabilities of MultiAO, establishing it as a highly competitive metaheuristic algorithm and providing a significantly more robust application paradigm for the field.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"MultiAO: A Novel Optimizer Inspired by Collaborative Intelligence in Complex Systems for Delivery Path Planning in UAV Clusters","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-03-19 16:33:27","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9010250/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"c171e39f-1a5b-4e14-b6c5-80e556407768","owner":[],"postedDate":"March 19th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-23T02:09:46+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-03-19 16:33:27","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9010250","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9010250","identity":"rs-9010250","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}

Text is read by the "Ask this paper" AI Q&A widget below. Extraction quality varies by source — PMC NXML preserves structure cleanly, OA-HTML may include some navigation residue, and OA-PDF can have broken hyphenation. The publisher copy (via DOI) is the canonical version.

My notes (saved in your browser only)

Ask this paper AI returns verbatim quotes from the full text · source: preprint-html

Answers must be backed by verbatim quotes from this paper's full text. Hallucinated quotes are dropped automatically; if no verbatim passage answers the question, we say so. How this works

Citation neighborhood (no data yet)

We don't have any in-corpus citations linked to this paper yet. This is a recent paper (2026) — citers typically take a year or two to land, and the OpenAlex reference graph may still be filling in.

Source provenance

europepmc
last seen: 2026-05-20T01:45:00.602351+00:00