Drone selection using multi-criteria decision-making methods

Abstract

Multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) is the method of making accurate decision among many available criteria. It is a scientific method of making decisions. The decisions made by using MCDM are very accurate. MCDM steps have been divided into decision structuring, criteria specification, alternative performance measurement, alternative scoring, and criteria weight. There are many methods available for MCDM. In this study many direct and indirect methods of MCDM have been studied. Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) have been found very powerful methods for MCDM. AHP and TOPSIS methods have been compared in this study after using their application formulas. COPRAS method application has also been discussed in this study. After comparing these methods, it was found that the TOPSIS method was ideal to be applied because of its vast applications. TOPSIS method has been found a better and easy method to apply for decision making. TOPSIS method steps including formulas have been presented. The TOPSIS method has been applied at the drones available in the market at desired cost. The formulas of TOPSIS method have been applied at the selected drones. The non-beneficial and beneficial weights have been assigned to the drones. The normalized matrices have been calculated for each drone. The Euclidean distance for ideal best and ideal worst values has been calculated for each drone and assigned performance score. The drones have been allotted ranks starting from highest to the lowest values. The highest rank drone has been selected.