Fig 1

Framework of task assignment"

Table 1

Simulation parameters"

Table 2

Detailed task assignment for each UAV (baseline ACO)"

Table 3

Summary of task assignment results (baseline ACO)"

Fig 2

UAV to target assignment"

Fig 3

Distance evolution over iterations"

Fig 4

Total assignments over iterations"

Table 4

Detailed task assignment for each UAV (hybrid DE-ACO)"

Table 5

Summary of task assignment results (hybrid DE-ACO)"

Fig 5

Distance evolution over iterations (hybrid DE-ACO)"

Fig 6

Total assignments over iterations (hybrid DE-ACO)"

Fig 7

UAV to target assignment (Hybrid DE-ACO)"

Fig 8

$ {\boldsymbol{\alpha}} $ and $ {\boldsymbol{\beta}} $ evolution over iterations"

Table 6

Simulation setup and key parameters"

Table 7

Task allocation and path planning results"

Fig 9

3D UAV path trajectories"

Fig 10

Optimization convergence curve for DE-ACO algorithm"

Fig 11

3D UAV path trajectories"

Fig 12

UAV flight distance"

Table 8

Task allocation and path planning results (DE-ACO / GA)"

Table 9

Network robustness results"

Fig 13

Evolution of algebraic connectivity $ {{\boldsymbol{\lambda}} }_{{\boldsymbol{2}}} $ over iterations"

Fig 14

Total distance evolution over iterations"

Fig 15

Network topology changes"