An Algorithm Based on Priority Rules for Solving a Multi-drone Routing Problem in Hazardous Waste Collection

This research investigates the problem of assigning pre-scheduled trips to multiple drones to collect hazardous waste from different sites in the minimum time. Each drone is subject to essential restrictions: maximum flying capacity and recharge operation. The goal is to assign the trips to the drones so that the waste is collected in the minimum time. This is done if the total flying time is equally distributed among the drones. An algorithm was developed to solve the problem. The algorithm is based on two main ideas: sort the trips according to a given priority rule and assign the current trip to the first available drone. Three different priority rules have been tested: Shortest Flying Time, Longest Flying Time, and Median Flying Time. Two recharging conditions are maintained: recharging needed time and recharging full duration. By applying each priority rule and each recharging condition, we generate a six versions of the algorithm. The six versions of the proposed algorithm were implemented in Java programming language.The results were analyzed and compared proving that the Longest Flying Time priority rule surpasses the other two rules. Moreover, recharging a drone just enough for taking the next trip proved to be better than fully recharging it.

@article{Harrath2024,
  title     = {An Algorithm Based on Priority Rules for Solving a Multi-drone Routing Problem in Hazardous Waste Collection},
  journal   = {International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications},
  volume    = {15},
  number    = {2},
  year      = {2024},
  publisher = {The Science and Information Organization},
  author    = {Youssef Harrath and Jihene Kaabi and Eman Alaradi and Manar Alnoaimi and Noor Alawadhi},
  doi       = {10.14569/IJACSA.2024.0150298},
  url       = {https://doi.org/10.14569/IJACSA.2024.0150298}
}