Event-Triggered Intervention Framework for UAV-UGV Coordination Systems

Air-ground coordination systems are usually composed of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and unmanned ground vehicles (UGV). In such a system, UAVs can utilize their much more perceptive information to plan the path for UGVs. However, the correctness and accuracy of the planned route are often not guaranteed, and the communication and computation burdens increase with more sophisticated algorithms. This paper proposes a new type of air-ground coordination framework to enable UAVs intervention into UGVs tasks. An event-triggered mechanism in the null space behavior control (NSBC) framework is proposed to decide if an intervention is necessary and the timing of the intervention. Then, the problem of whether to accept the intervention is formulated as an integer programming problem and is solved using model predictive control (MPC). Simulation results show that the UAV can intervene in UGVs accurately and on time, and the UGVs can effectively decide whether to accept the intervention to get rid of troubles, thereby improving the intelligence of the air-ground coordination system.

Two-Stage Robust and Economic Scheduling for Electricity-Heat Integrated Energy System under Wind Power Uncertainty

As renewable energy increasingly penetrates into electricity-heat integrated energy system (IES), the severe challenges arise for system reliability under uncertain generations. A two-stage approach consisting of pre-scheduling and re-dispatching coordination is introduced for IES under wind power uncertainty. In pre-scheduling coordination framework, with the forecasted wind power, the robust and economic generations and reserves are optimized. In re-dispatching, the coordination of electric generators and combined heat and power (CHP) unit, constrained by the pre-scheduled results, are implemented to absorb the uncertain wind power prediction error. The dynamics of building and heat network is modeled to characterize their inherent thermal storage capability, being utilized in enhancing the flexibility and improving the economics of IES operation; accordingly, the multi-timescale of heating and electric networks is considered in pre-scheduling and re-dispatching coordination. In simulations, it is shown that the approach could improve the economics and robustness of IES under wind power uncertainty by taking advantage of thermal storage properties of building and heat network, and the reserves of electricity and heat are discussed when generators have different inertia constants and ramping rates.

Multi-Stakeholder Approach in Natural Resources Management: The Case of Mida Creek and Gongoni-Marereni Mangrove Ecosystems in Kilifi County, Kenya

Multi-stakeholder approach has an overall improvement in conservation and management of mangrove forests resources, more so with a functional coordination framework among stakeholders. Mida creek and Gongoni-Marereni sites were compared in terms of the presence of the multi-stakeholders and the level of coordination and cooperation among stakeholders in conservation of mangrove forests. Data was gathered through a semi-structured interview questionnaire from Key Informants from the stakeholders present in the two sites. The data collected captured stakeholder presence on site, participation in mangrove conservation, and coordination and cooperation with others. There was a variation in multi-stakeholder participation in the two sites. Gongoni-Marereni site had less stakeholders compared to Mida creek which had more, with the latter having a greater participation of stakeholders. The Gongoni-Marereni site mangroves were degraded while in Mida creek had healthy mangroves.