This paper solves the shortcomings of sparrow search algorithm in poor utilization to the current individual and lack of effective search, improves its search performance, achieves good results on 23 basic benchmark functions and CEC 2017, and effectively improves the problem that the algorithm falls into local optimal solution and has low search accuracy. This paper proposes an improved sparrow search algorithm based on iterative local search (ISSA). In the global search phase of the followers, the variable helix factor is introduced, which makes full use of the individual’s opposite solution about the origin, reduces the number of individuals beyond the boundary, and ensures the algorithm has a detailed and flexible search ability. In the local search phase of the followers, an improved iterative local search strategy is adopted to increase the search accuracy and prevent the omission of the optimal solution. By adding the dimension by dimension lens learning strategy to scouters, the search range is more flexible and helps jump out of the local optimal solution by changing the focusing ability of the lens and the dynamic boundary of each dimension. Finally, the boundary control is improved to effectively utilize the individuals beyond the boundary while retaining the randomness of the individuals. The ISSA is compared with PSO, SCA, GWO, WOA, MWOA, SSA, BSSA, CSSA, and LSSA on 23 basic functions to verify the optimization performance of the algorithm. In addition, in order to further verify the optimization performance of the algorithm when the optimal solution is not 0, the above algorithms are compared in CEC 2017 test function. The simulation results show that the ISSA has good universality. Finally, this paper applies ISSA to PID parameter tuning and robot path planning, and the results show that the algorithm has good practicability and effect.

To solve the problem that the emerging sparrow search algorithm (SSA) lacks systematic comparison and analysis with other classical algorithms, this paper first introduces the principle of the sparrow search algorithm and then describes the mathematical model and algorithm description of the sparrow search algorithm. By comparing several classical intelligent algorithms with particle swarm optimization (PSO), differential evolution (DE), and gray wolf optimizer (GWO), the sparrow search algorithm’s theory and model are systematically compared and analyzed, and the advantages and disadvantages of SSA are summarized. Finally, based on the above research and previous research, the limitations of SSA and current improved SSA are analyzed, which provides ideas for further improvement of the algorithm.

Biological systems, ranging from ant colonies to neural ecosystems, exhibit remarkable self-organizing intelligence. Inspired by these phenomena, this study investigates how bio-inspired computing principles can bridge game-theoretic rationality and multi-agent adaptability. This study systematically reviews the convergence of multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) and game theory, elucidating the innovative potential of this integrated paradigm for collective intelligent decision-making in dynamic open environments. Building upon stochastic game and extensive-form game-theoretic frameworks, we establish a methodological taxonomy across three dimensions: value function optimization, policy gradient learning, and online search planning, thereby clarifying the evolutionary logic and innovation trajectories of algorithmic advancements. Focusing on complex smart city scenarios—including intelligent transportation coordination and UAV swarm scheduling—we identify technical breakthroughs in MARL applications for policy space modeling and distributed decision optimization. By incorporating bio-inspired optimization approaches, the investigation particularly highlights evolutionary computation mechanisms for dynamic strategy generation in search planning, alongside population-based learning paradigms for enhancing exploration efficiency in policy refinement. The findings reveal core principles governing how groups make optimal choices in complex environments while mapping the technological development pathways created by blending cross-disciplinary methods to enhance multi-agent systems.

In order to overcome the defect that sparrow search algorithm converges very fast but is easy to fall into the trap of local optimization, based on the original mechanism of sparrow algorithm, this paper proposes game predatory mechanism and suicide mechanism, which makes sparrow algorithm more in line with its biological characteristics and enhances the ability of the algorithm to get rid of the attraction of local optimization while retaining the advantages of fast convergence speed. By initializing the population with the good point set strategy, the quality of the initial population is guaranteed and the diversity of the population is enhanced. In view of the current situation that the diversity index evaluation does not consider the invalid search caused by individuals beyond the boundary in the search process, an index to measure the invalid search beyond the boundary in the search process is proposed, and the measurement of diversity index is further improved to make it more accurate. The improved algorithm is tested on six basic functions and CEC2017 test function to verify its effectiveness. Finally, the improved algorithm is applied to the three-dimensional path planning of UAV with threat area. The results show that the improved algorithm has stronger optimization performance, has strong competitiveness compared with other algorithms, and can quickly plan the effective and stable path of UAV, which improves an effective method for the application in this field and other fields.

Sparrow search algorithm has the problem of redundancy of convergence speed due to its fast convergence speed, and it is easy to fall into local optimum in multimodal environment. To solve the above problem, this paper presents a personalized multipopulation sparrow search algorithm (MPSSA). By introducing multiple population mechanisms to reduce the probability of falling into the local optimum due to single-population search, by using a personalized subpopulation strategy to improve the personalized differences of subpopulations and balance the exploratory ability of algorithm development, then by using weighted center-of-gravity communication strategy to improve the quality of communication between populations, and finally by using dimension by dimension dynamic reverse learning to improve the accuracy of search. The superiority of MPSSA is validated by comparing the benchmark function and CEC2017. Finally, the algorithm solves the problem of poor quality due to the dimension increase of the UAV cooperative track. MPSSA helps the UAV to quickly plan a better and stable track group to ensure the UAV to complete the cooperative task safely and stably.