Preprints

• G. Silano, D. Bonilla Licea, D. Liuzza, A. Franchi, and M. Saska, “Communications-Aware NMPC for Multi-Rotor Aerial Relay Networks Under Jamming Interference,” April, 2026.
  Bibtex Abstract

  @article{SilanoCommAwarenMPCJournal,
    title = {{Communications-Aware NMPC for Multi-Rotor Aerial Relay Networks Under Jamming Interference}},
    author = {{Silano}, Giuseppe and {Bonilla Licea}, Daniel and {Liuzza}, Davide and {Franchi}, Antonio and {Saska}, Martin},
    group = {preprints},
    preprint = {publications/2603.28467v1.pdf},
    doi = {10.48550/arXiv.2603.28467},
    link = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.28467},
    year = {2026},
    month = apr
  }
  
  

  Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicles (MRAVs) are increasingly used in communication-dependent missions where connectivity loss directly compromises task execution. Existing anti-jamming strategies often decouple motion from communication, overlooking that link quality depends on vehicle attitude and antenna orientation. In coplanar platforms, "tilt-to-translate" maneuvers can inadvertently align antenna nulls with communication partners, causing severe degradation under interference. This paper presents a modular communications-aware control framework that combines a high-level max-min trajectory generator with an actuator-level Nonlinear Model Predictive Controller (NMPC). The trajectory layer optimizes the weakest link under jamming, while the NMPC enforces vehicle dynamics, actuator limits, and antenna-alignment constraints. Antenna directionality is handled geometrically, avoiding explicit radiation-pattern parametrization. The method is evaluated in a relay scenario with an active jammer and compared across coplanar and tilted-propeller architectures. Results show a near two-order-of-magnitude increase in minimum end-to-end capacity, markedly reducing outage events, with moderate average-capacity gains. Tilted platforms preserve feasibility and link quality, whereas coplanar vehicles show recurrent degradation. These findings indicate that full actuation is a key enabler of reliable communications-aware operation under adversarial directional constraints.
  

Journals

• D. Bonilla Licea, G. Silano, H. El Hammouti, M. Ghogho, and M. Saska, “Reshaping UAV-Enabled Communications with Omnidirectional Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicles,” IEEE Communications Magazine, vol. 63, no. 5, pp. 94–100, May, 2025. Impact Factor: 8.3.
  Bibtex Abstract

  @article{Silano2024IEEECommMagazine,
    title = {{Reshaping UAV-Enabled Communications with Omnidirectional Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicles}},
    author = {{Bonilla Licea}, Daniel and {Silano}, Giuseppe and {El Hammouti}, Hajar and {Ghogho}, Mounir and {Saska}, Martin},
    group = {journals},
    preprint = {publications/IEEEComMag_2024.pdf},
    doi = {10.1109/MCOM.001.2400421},
    link = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10829762},
    journal = {IEEE Communications Magazine},
    year = {2025},
    status = {Impact Factor: 8.3.},
    month = may,
    pages = {94-100},
    volume = {63},
    number = {5}
  }
  
  

  A new class of Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicles (MRAVs), known as omnidirectional MRAVs (o-MRAVs), has attracted significant interest in the robotics community. These MRAVs have the unique capability of independently controlling their 3D position and 3D orientation. In the context of aerial communication networks, this translates into the ability to control the position and orientation of the antenna mounted on the MRAV without any additional devices tasked for antenna orientation. This additional Degrees of Freedom (DoF) adds a new dimension to aerial communication systems, creating various research opportunities in communications-aware trajectory planning and positioning. This paper presents this new class of MRAVs and discusses use cases in areas such as physical layer security and optical communications. Furthermore, the benefits of these MRAVs are illustrated with realistic simulation scenarios. Finally, new research problems and opportunities introduced by this advanced robotics technology are discussed.
  

• D. Hert et al., “MRS Drone: A Modular Platform for Real-World Deployment of Aerial Multi-Robot Systems,” Journal of Intelligent & Robotic Systems, vol. 108, no. 64, pp. 1–34, July, 2023. Impact factor: 3.3.
  Bibtex Abstract

  @article{Silano2023JINT_HW,
    author = {{Hert}, D. and {Baca}, T. and {Petracek}, P. and {Kratky}, V. and {Penicka}, R. and {Spurny}, V. and {Petrlik}, M. and {Vrba}, M. and {Zaitlik}, D. and {Stoudek}, P. and {Walter}, V. and {Stepan}, P. and {Horyna}, J. and {Pritzl}, V. and {Sramek}, M. and {Ahmad}, A. and {Silano}, G. and {Bonilla Licea}, D. and {Stibinger}, P. and {Nascimento}, T. and {Saska}, M.},
    journal = {Journal of Intelligent & Robotic Systems},
    title = {{MRS Drone: A Modular Platform for Real-World Deployment of Aerial Multi-Robot Systems}},
    year = {2023},
    group = {journals},
    status = {Impact factor: 3.3.},
    preprint = {publications/JINT_HW_2023.pdf},
    volume = {108},
    pages = {1-34},
    doi = {10.1007/s10846-023-01879-2},
    number = {64},
    month = jul,
    code = {https://github.com/ctu-mrs/mrs_uav_system},
    link = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10846-023-01879-2}
  }
  
  

  This paper presents a modular autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platform called the Multi-robot Systems (MRS) Drone that can be used in a large range of indoor and outdoor applications. The MRS Drone features unique modularity with respect to changes in actuators, frames, and sensory configuration. As the name suggests, the platform is specially tailored for deployment within a MRS group. The MRS Drone contributes to the state-of-the-art of UAV platforms by allowing smooth real-world deployment of multiple aerial robots, as well as by outperforming other platforms with its modularity. For real-world multi-robot deployment in various applications, the platform is easy to both assemble and modify. Moreover, it is accompanied by a realistic simulator to enable safe pre-flight testing and a smooth transition to complex real-world experiments. In this manuscript, we present mechancal and electrical designs, software architecture, and technical specifications to build a fully autonomous multi UAV system. Finally, we demonstrate the full capabilities and the unique modularity of the MRS Drone in various real-world applications that required a diverse range of platform configurations.
  

• A. Ahmad, D. Bonilla Licea, G. Silano, T. Baca, and M. Saska, “PACNav: A collective navigation approach for UAV swarms deprived of communication and external localization,” Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, vol. 17, no. 6, pp. 1–19, November, 2022. Impact factor: 2.985.
  Bibtex Abstract

  @article{Silano2022Bioinspired,
    title = {{PACNav: A collective navigation approach for UAV swarms deprived of communication and external localization}},
    author = {{Ahmad}, Afzal and {Bonilla Licea}, Daniel and {Silano}, Giuseppe and {Baca}, Tomas and {Saska}, Martin},
    doi = {10.1088/1748-3190/ac98e6},
    group = {journals},
    status = {Impact factor: 2.985.},
    journal = {Bioinspiration & Biomimetics},
    year = {2022},
    organization = {IOP Science},
    month = nov,
    pages = {1-19},
    volume = {17},
    number = {6},
    preprint = {publications/Bioinspired22.pdf},
    code = {https://github.com/ctu-mrs/pacnav},
    link = {https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-3190/ac98e6}
  }
  
  

  This article proposes Persistence Administered Collective Navigation (PACNav) as an approach for achieving decentralized collective navigation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) swarms. The technique is based on the flocking and collective navigation behavior observed in natural swarms, such as cattle herds, bird flocks, and even large groups of humans. As global and concurrent information of all swarm members is not available in natural swarms, these systems use local observations to achieve the desired behavior. Similarly, PACNav relies only on local observations of relative positions of UAVs, making it suitable for large swarms deprived of communication capabilities and external localization systems. We introduce the novel concepts of path persistence and path similarity that allow each swarm member to analyze the motion of other members in order to determine its own future motion. PACNav is based on two main principles: (1) UAVs with little variation in motion direction have high path persistence, and are considered by other UAVs to be reliable leaders; (2) groups of UAVs that move in a similar direction have high path similarity, and such groups are assumed to contain a reliable leader. The proposed approach also embeds a reactive collision avoidance mechanism to avoid collisions with swarm members and environmental obstacles. This collision avoidance ensures safety while reducing deviations from the assigned path. Along with several simulated experiments, we present a real-world experiment in a natural forest, showcasing the validity and effectiveness of the proposed collective navigation approach in challenging environments. The source code is released as open-source, making it possible to replicate the obtained results and facilitate the continuation of research by the community.
  

Conferences

• D. Bonilla Licea, G. Silano, and M. Saska, “Enhanced Security and Coordination Framework for UAV Swarms Using Heterogeneous Communication Networks,” in Proceedings of 1st GENZERO Workshop, pp. 117–123, 2025, Hilton Yas, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
  Bibtex Abstract

  @inproceedings{SilanoGenzero2024,
    author = {{Bonilla Licea}, Daniel and {Silano}, Giuseppe and {Saska}, Martin},
    editor = {Andreoni, Martin and Thakkar, Shreekant},
    title = {{Enhanced Security and Coordination Framework for UAV Swarms Using Heterogeneous Communication Networks}},
    booktitle = {Proceedings of 1st GENZERO Workshop},
    year = {2025},
    publisher = {Springer Nature Singapore},
    pages = {117--123},
    group = {conferences},
    note = {Hilton Yas, Abu Dhabi, UAE},
    preprint = {publications/genzero24_bonilla.pdf},
    link = {https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-95-1050-4_14},
    doi = {10.1007/978-981-95-1050-4_14}
  }
  
  

  Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) swarms offer remarkable capabilities across numerous fields, performing complex tasks with high efficiency and adaptability. However, safeguarding these swarms from cyber threats poses a significant challenge. This paper addresses “Challenge 4: Enhanced Communication and Active Protection Framework”. We aim to solve key objectives by introducing a comprehensive framework aimed at bolstering the security and coordination of UAV swarms. Our framework incorporates communications-aware trajectory planning, the use of heterogeneous communication networks, advanced physical layer security measures, and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven strategies for detecting and mitigating attacks. By combining Optical Camera Communications (OCC) with conventional Radio Frequency (RF) systems and utilizing Reinforcement Learning (RL) and Federated Learning (FL), the proposed framework provides a robust, efficient, and secure operational environment for UAV swarms.
  

• G. Silano, D. Bonilla Licea, H. El Hammouti, and M. Saska, “Free-Space Optical Communication-Driven NMPC Framework for Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicles in Structured Inspection Scenarios,” in 2025 IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (SMC), pp. 6641–6646, October, 2025, Vienna, Austria.
  Bibtex Abstract

  @inproceedings{Silano2025SMC,
    author = {{Silano}, Giuseppe and {Bonilla Licea}, Daniel and {El Hammouti}, Hajar and {Saska}, Martin},
    booktitle = {2025 IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (SMC)},
    title = {{Free-Space Optical Communication-Driven NMPC Framework for Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicles in Structured Inspection Scenarios}},
    year = {2025},
    month = oct,
    organization = {IEEE},
    note = {Vienna, Austria},
    preprint = {publications/SMC_2025.pdf},
    pages = {6641-6646},
    group = {conferences},
    link = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11343117},
    doi = {10.1109/SMC58881.2025.11343117}
  }
  
  

  This paper introduces a Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) framework for communication-aware motion planning of Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicles (MRAVs) using Free-Space Optical (FSO) links. The scenario involves MRAVs equipped with body-fixed optical transmitters and Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) acting as mobile relays, each outfitted with fixed conical Field-of-View (FoV) receivers. The controller integrates optical connectivity constraints into the NMPC formulation to ensure beam alignment and minimum link quality, while also enabling UGV tracking and obstacle avoidance. The method supports both coplanar and tilted MRAV configurations. MATLAB simulations demonstrate its feasibility and effectiveness.
  

• D. Bonilla Licea, H. El Hammouti, G. Silano, and M. Saska, “Harnessing the Potential of Omnidirectional Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicles in Cooperative Jamming Against Eavesdropping,” in 2024 IEEE Global Communications Conference (IEEE GLOBECOM), pp. 2052–2058, December, 2024, Cape Town, South Africa.
  Bibtex Abstract

  @inproceedings{Silano2024GLOBECOM,
    author = {{Bonilla Licea}, Daniel and {El Hammouti}, Hajar and {Silano}, Giuseppe and {Saska}, Martin},
    title = {{Harnessing the Potential of Omnidirectional Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicles in Cooperative Jamming Against Eavesdropping}},
    booktitle = {2024 IEEE Global Communications Conference (IEEE GLOBECOM)},
    year = {2024},
    organization = {IEEE},
    month = dec,
    group = {conferences},
    pages = {2052-2058},
    doi = {10.1109/GLOBECOM52923.2024.10901802},
    link = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10901802},
    preprint = {publications/GLOBECOM_2024.pdf},
    note = {Cape Town, South Africa}
  }
  
  

  Recent research in communications-aware robotics has been propelled by advancements in 5G and emerging 6G technologies. This field now includes the integration of Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicles (MRAVs) into cellular networks, with a specific focus on under-actuated MRAVs. These vehicles face challenges in independently controlling position and orientation due to their limited control inputs, which adversely affects communication metrics such as Signal-to-Noise Ratio. In response, a newer class of omnidirectional MRAVs has been developed, which can control both position and orientation simultaneously by tilting their propellers. However, exploiting this capability fully requires sophisticated motion planning techniques. This paper presents a novel application of omnidirectional MRAVs designed to enhance communication security and thwart eavesdropping. It proposes a strategy where one MRAV functions as an aerial Base Station, while another acts as a friendly jammer to secure communications. This study is the first to apply such a strategy to MRAVs in scenarios involving eavesdroppers.
  

• D. Bonilla Licea, G. Silano, M. Ghogho, and M. Saska, “Omnidirectional Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicle Pose Optimization: A Novel Approach to Physical Layer Security,” in 2024 IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing (ICASSP), pp. 9021–9025, April, 2024, Seoul, Korea.
  Bibtex Abstract

  @inproceedings{Silano2024ICASSP,
    author = {{Bonilla Licea}, Daniel and {Silano}, Giuseppe and {Ghogho}, Mounir and {Saska}, Martin},
    booktitle = {2024 IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing (ICASSP)},
    title = {{Omnidirectional Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicle Pose Optimization: A Novel Approach to Physical Layer Security}},
    year = {2024},
    group = {conferences},
    month = apr,
    pages = {9021-9025},
    preprint = {publications/ICASSP-2024.pdf},
    link = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10447876},
    doi = {10.1109/ICASSP48485.2024.10447876},
    note = {Seoul, Korea}
  }
  
  

  The integration of Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicles (MRAVs) into 5G and 6G networks enhances coverage, connectivity, and congestion management. This fosters communication-aware robotics, exploring the interplay between robotics and communications, but also makes the MRAVs susceptible to malicious attacks, such as jamming. One traditional approach to counter these attacks is the use of beamforming on the MRAVs to apply physical layer security techniques. In this paper, we explore pose optimization as an alternative approach to countering jamming attacks on MRAVs. This technique is intended for omnidirectional MRAVs, which are drones capable of independently controlling both their position and orientation, as opposed to the more common under-actuated MRAVs whose orientation cannot be controlled independently of their position. In this paper, we consider an omnidirectional MRAV serving as a Base Station (BS) for legitimate ground nodes, under attack by a malicious jammer. We optimize the MRAV pose (i.e., position and orientation) to maximize the minimum Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) over all legitimate nodes.
  

• D. Bonilla Licea, G. Silano, M. Ghogho, and M. Saska, “Communications-Aware Robotics: Challenges and Opportunities,” in 2023 International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS), pp. 366–371, June, 2023, Lazarski University, Warsaw, Poland.
  Bibtex Abstract

  @inproceedings{SilanoICUAS23_I,
    author = {{Bonilla Licea}, Daniel and {Silano}, Giuseppe and {Ghogho}, Mounir and {Saska}, Martin},
    booktitle = {2023 International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS)},
    title = {{Communications-Aware Robotics: Challenges and Opportunities}},
    year = {2023},
    group = {conferences},
    month = jun,
    pages = {366-371},
    doi = {10.1109/ICUAS57906.2023.10155882},
    link = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10155882},
    preprint = {publications/ICUAS23-I.pdf},
    note = {Lazarski University, Warsaw, Poland}
  }
  
  

  The use of Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) has seen significant growth in the research community, industry, and society. Many of these agents are equipped with communication systems that are essential for completing certain tasks successfully. This has led to the emergence of a new interdisciplinary field at the intersection of robotics and communications, which has been further driven by the integration of UAVs into 5G and 6G communication networks. However, one of the main challenges in this research area is how many researchers tend to oversimplify either the robotics or the communications aspects, hindering the full potential of this new interdisciplinary field. In this paper, we present some of the necessary modeling tools for addressing these problems from both a robotics and communications perspective, using the UAV communications relay as an example.
  

• D. Hert et al., “MRS Modular UAV Hardware Platforms for Supporting Research in Real-World Outdoor and Indoor Environments,” in 2022 International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS), pp. 1264–1273, June, 2022, Dubrovnik, Croatia.
  Bibtex Abstract

  @inproceedings{Silano2022ICUAS_III,
    author = {{Hert}, D. and {Baca}, T. and {Petracek}, P. and {Kratky}, V. and {Spurny}, V. and {Petrlik}, M. and {Vrba}, M. and {Zaitlik}, D. and {Stoudek}, P. and {Walter}, V. and {Stepan}, P. and {Horyna}, J. and {Pritzl}, V. and {Silano}, G. and {Bonilla Licea}, D. and {Stibinger}, P. and {Penicka}, R. and {Nascimento}, T. and {Saska}, M.},
    booktitle = {2022 International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS)},
    title = {{MRS Modular UAV Hardware Platforms for Supporting Research in Real-World Outdoor and Indoor Environments}},
    year = {2022},
    group = {conferences},
    month = jun,
    preprint = {publications/ICUAS22_Silano_III.pdf},
    note = {Dubrovnik, Croatia},
    pages = {1264-1273},
    link = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9836083},
    doi = {10.1109/ICUAS54217.2022.9836083},
    code = {https://github.com/ctu-mrs/mrs_uav_system}
  }
  
  

  This paper presents a family of autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) platforms designed for a diverse range of indoor and outdoor applications. The proposed UAV design is highly modular in terms of used actuators, sensor configurations, and even UAV frames. This allows to achieve, with minimal effort, a proper experimental setup for single, as well as, multi robot scenarios. Presented platforms are intended to facilitate the transition from simulations, and simplified laboratory experiments, into the deployment of aerial robots into uncertain and hard-to-model real-world conditions. We present mechanical designs, electric configurations, and dynamic models of the UAVs, followed by numerous recommendations and technical details required for building such a fully autonomous UAV system for experimental verification of scientific achievements. To show strength and high variability of the proposed system, we present results of tens of completely different real-robot experiments in various environments using distinct actuator and sensory configurations.
  

• D. Bonilla Licea, G. Silano, M. Ghogho, and M. Saska, “Optimum Trajectory Planning for Multi-Rotor UAV Relays with Tilt and Antenna Orientation Variations,” in 29th European Signal Processing Conference (EUSIPCO), pp. 1586–1590, September, 2021, Dublin, Ireland.
  Bibtex Abstract

  @inproceedings{Silano2021Eusipco,
    author = {{Bonilla Licea}, D. and {Silano}, G. and {Ghogho}, Mounir and {Saska}, M.},
    booktitle = {29th European Signal Processing Conference (EUSIPCO)},
    title = {{Optimum Trajectory Planning for Multi-Rotor UAV Relays with Tilt and Antenna Orientation Variations}},
    year = {2021},
    group = {conferences},
    month = sep,
    preprint = {publications/EUSIPCO_2021.pdf},
    doi = {10.23919/EUSIPCO54536.2021.9616232},
    link = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9616232},
    pages = {1586-1590},
    note = {Dublin, Ireland}
  }
  
  

  Multi-rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) need to tilt in order to move; this modifies the UAV’s antenna orientation. We consider the scenario where a multi-rotor UAV serves as a communication relay between a Base Station (BS) and another UAV. We propose a framework to generate feasible trajectories for the multi-rotor UAV relay while considering its motion dynamics and the motion-induced changes of the antenna orientation. The UAV relay’s trajectory is optimized to maximize the end-to-end number of bits transmitted. Numerical simulations in MATLAB and Gazebo show the benefits of accounting for the antenna orientation variations due to the UAV tilt.
  

Workshop Contributions

• G. Silano, D. Bonilla Licea, H. El Hammouti, M. Ghogho, and M. Saska, “Robust Planning and Control of Omnidirectional MRAVs for Aerial Communications in Wireless Networks,” in 2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), pp. 1–2, May, 2025, Contribution accepted for discussion at the workshop session: "Beyond the Lab: Robust Planning and Control in Real World Scenarios", Atlanta, USA.
  Bibtex Abstract

  @inproceedings{Silano2025ICRA_WS_CONTRIBUTION_COMM_PAPER,
    author = {{Silano}, Giuseppe and {Bonilla Licea}, Daniel and {El Hammouti}, Hajar and {Ghogho}, Mounir and {Saska}, Martin},
    booktitle = {2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)},
    title = {{Robust Planning and Control of Omnidirectional MRAVs for Aerial Communications in Wireless Networks}},
    year = {2025},
    month = may,
    note = {Contribution accepted for discussion at the workshop session: "Beyond the Lab: Robust Planning and Control in Real World Scenarios", Atlanta, USA},
    preprint = {publications/icra25_workshop_com_paper.pdf},
    pages = {1-2},
    group = {workshops},
    link = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.15089},
    doi = {10.48550/arXiv.2504.15089}
  }
  
  

  A new class of Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicles (MRAVs), known as omnidirectional MRAVs (o-MRAVs), has gained attention for their ability to independently control 3D position and orientation. This capability enhances robust planning and control in aerial communication networks, enabling more adaptive trajectory planning and precise antenna alignment without additional mechanical components. These features are particularly valuable in uncertain environments, where disturbances such as wind and interference affect communication stability. This paper examines o-MRAVs in the context of robust aerial network planning, comparing them with the more common under-actuated MRAVs (u-MRAVs). Key applications, including physical layer security, optical communications, and network densification, are highlighted, demonstrating the potential of o-MRAVs to improve reliability and efficiency in dynamic communication scenarios.