Mobile edge computing (MEC) servers integrated with multi‐unmanned aerial vehicles (multi‐UAVs) present a new system the multi‐UAV‐assisted MEC system. This system relies on the mobility of the UAVs to reduce the transmission distance between the servers and mobile users, thereby enhancing service quality and minimizing the overall energy consumption. Achieving optimal UAV deployment and precise task scheduling is crucial for improved coverage and service quality in this system. This problem is framed as a nonconvex optimization problem known as joint task scheduling and deployment optimization. Recently, an optimization technique based on a dual‐layer framework: Upper layer optimization and lower layer optimization have been proposed to tackle this problem and achieved superior performance compared to the alternative methods. In this framework, the lower layer was responsible for task scheduling optimization, while the upper layer was designed to assist in optimizing UAV deployment and thus achieving improved coverage and enhanced task scheduling for mobile users, thereby minimizing the total energy consumption. However, further refinement of upper layer optimization is needed to improve the deployment process. In this study, the upper layer undergoes enhancement through key modifications: First, random selection of the solutions is replaced with sequential selection to maintain the unique characteristics of each individual throughout the optimization process, fostering both exploration and exploitation. Second, a selection of recently reported metaheuristic algorithms, such as spider wasp optimizer (SWO), generalized normal distribution optimization (GNDO), and gradient‐based optimizer (GBO), are adapted to optimize UAV deployments. Both improved upper layer and lower layer optimization led to the development of novel, more effective optimization approaches, including IToGBOTaS, IToGNDOTaS, and IToSWOTaS. These techniques are evaluated using nine instances with a variety of mobile tasks ranging from 100 to 900 to test their stability and then compared to different optimization techniques to measure their effectiveness. This comparison is based on several statistical information to determine the superiority and difference between their outcomes. The results reveal that IToGBOTaS and IToSWOTaS exhibit slightly superior performance compared to all other algorithms, showcasing their competitiveness and efficacy in addressing the optimization challenges of the multi‐UAV‐assisted MEC system.

Accurately estimating the unknown parameters of the photovoltaic (PV) models based on the measured voltage-current data is a challenging optimization problem due to its high nonlinearity and multimodality. An accurate solution to this problem is essential for efficiently simulating, controlling, and evaluating PV systems. There are three different PV models, including the single-diode model, the double-diode model, and the triple-diode model, with five, seven, and nine unknown parameters, respectively, proposed to represent the electrical characteristics of PV systems with varying levels of complexity and accuracy. In the literature, several deterministic and metaheuristic algorithms have been used to accurately solve this hard problem. However, due to the high nonlinearity of this problem, the deterministic methods could not achieve accurate solutions. On the other side, the metaheuristic algorithms, also known as gradient-free methods, could achieve somewhat good solutions for this problem, but they still need further improvements to strengthen their performance against stuck-in local optima and slow convergence speed problems. Over the last two years, several recent metaheuristic algorithms with better characteristics to improve convergence speed and avoid local optima have been proposed to tackle continuous optimization problems. However, the performance of the majority of those algorithms for estimating the parameters of PV models has not been investigated. Therefore, in this paper, the performance of nineteen recently published metaheuristic algorithms, such as the Mantis search algorithm (MSA), spider wasp optimizer (SWO), light spectrum optimizer (LSO), growth optimizer (GO), walrus optimization algorithm (WAOA), hippopotamus optimization algorithm (HOA), black-winged kite algorithm (BKA), quadratic interpolation optimization (QIO), sinh cosh optimizer (SCHA), exponential distribution optimizer (EDO), optical microscope algorithm (OMA), secretary bird optimization algorithm (SBOA), Parrot Optimizer (PO), Newton-Raphson-based optimizer (NRBO), crested porcupine optimizer (CPO), differentiated creative search (DCS), propagation search algorithm (PSA), one-to-one based optimizer (OOBO), and triangulation topology aggregation optimizer (TTAO), are studied to clarify their effectiveness in estimating the unknown parameters of PV models. In addition, those algorithms collaborate with two deterministic functions, namely the Lambert W-Function and the Newton-Raphson Method, to aid in solving the I-V curve equations more accurately, thereby improving the performance of PV systems. Those algorithms are assessed using four well-known PV solar cells and modules and compared with each other using several performance metrics, including best fitness, average fitness, worst fitness, standard deviation (SD), Friedman mean rank, and convergence speed; and a multiple-comparison test to compare the difference between their mean ranks. Results of this comparison show that SWO is more efficient and effective for SDM, DDM, and TDM over the majority of the studied PV solar cells and modules, and the Newton-Raphson Method is more efficient for solving the I-V curve equations. In addition, this study reports that the majority of the recently published metaheuristic algorithms perform poorly when applied to this problem.

Uncertainty is often occurred in real-life decision-making problems due to the lack of complete information, imprecise data, and the vagueness of decision making experts in qualitative judgment, thus, the crisp values of criteria may be insufficient to handle such types of complex real situations. As the extension of fuzzy set, intuitionistic fuzzy set and Pythagorean fuzzy set, the Fermatean Fuzzy Set (FFS) has been demonstrated as a powerful tool to handle the uncertainty arisen in practical decision-making problems. Thus, this study aims to introduce an integrated Fermatean fuzzy information-based decision-making method by combining method based on the removal effects of criteria (MEREC) and additive ratio assessment (ARAS) methods with the application in a food waste treatment technology selection problem. By using Fermatean fuzzy numbers, the suggested approach successfully handle the qualitative data and uncertain information that often occur in practical situations. This study consists of four phases. First, entropy measure is developed for FFS and further utilized for determining the experts’ weights. Second, some Fermatean fuzzy Heronian mean operators and their properties are introduced to aggregate the Fermatean fuzzy information. These operators can provide us a valuable means to handle practical multicriteria decision-making problems on FFSs context. Third, an extended MEREC technique is originated to assess objective criteria weights within FFS context. Fourth, an integrated ARAS method is introduced with the combination of proposed entropy measure, generalized weighted Fermatean fuzzy Heronian mean operator and MEREC technique to evaluate and rank the alternatives. To confirm the reasonableness and practicality of the proposed methodology, an empirical case study of food waste treatment technology selection is discussed on FFSs settings. Further, a comparison with extant models and a sensitivity investigation are performed to confirm the validity and robustness of the obtained outcomes.