MDPI Electronics Special Issue - Unmanned Aircraft Systems with Autonomous Navigation, 2nd Edition

The primary objective of this Special Issue is to highlight emerging technologies and recent advancements in the field of UASs, with particular emphasis on solutions that enhance autonomy, efficiency, and operational reliability. The contributions collected in this Special Issue reflect the inherently multidisciplinary nature of UAS research, spanning perception and navigation, swarm intelligence, communication systems, flight dynamics, and artificial-intelligence-driven design and optimization. Overall, the presented works demonstrate how the integration of advanced sensing technologies, distributed coordination strategies, innovative communication paradigms and data-driven methodologies is shaping the next generation of aerial platforms. From low-cost intelligent systems for real-world applications to sophisticated optimization frameworks and secure swarm architectures, these studies collectively address both current challenges and future opportunities in the domain. In addition, the inclusion of emerging paradigms such as aerial-assisted edge computing further emphasizes the evolving role of UAVs as key enablers within interconnected and intelligent infrastructures. The diversity of approaches and applications showcased in this Special Issue underlines the rapid technological progress in the field and provides valuable insights for researchers and practitioners working toward the development of more autonomous, resilient and scalable UAS ecosystems.