Journal profile · AUTOMATION & CONTROL SYSTEMS
Unmanned Systems
ISSN 2301-3850 · eISSN 2301-3869 · World Scientific
Unmanned Systems: CAS Zone 3 · Computer Science (2025 upgraded edition); subscription journal; 157 articles in 2025; indexed in ESCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Unmanned Systems is published by World Scientific and is in Zone 3 of Computer Science in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Robotic Path Planning Algorithms, Distributed Control Multi-Agent Systems and Robotics and Sensor-Based Localization, together about 36.3% of its articles. Its main subfields are Aerospace Engineering. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
It also highlights emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, machine intelligence, multi-agent systems, data and information fusion, human–machine collaboration and digital twin systems. Through both theoretical advances and real- world application studies, Unmanned Systems provides a platform for cutting-edge research shaping the future of autonomous and intelligent systems.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): AUTOMATION & CONTROL SYSTEMS
Editor-in-chief Jie ChenPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 40 in mainland China (about 44%); most named Mainland China 40, Hong Kong, China 10, Singapore 8, United States 5, United Kingdom 5 (91 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Robotic Path Planning AlgorithmsComputer Science16.2%
- Distributed Control Multi-Agent SystemsComputer Science10.9%
- Robotics and Sensor-Based LocalizationEngineering9.2%
- Adaptive Control of Nonlinear SystemsEngineering9%
- UAV Applications and OptimizationEngineering8%
- Guidance and Control SystemsEngineering6.2%
- Aerospace and Aviation TechnologyEngineering3.8%
- Control and Dynamics of Mobile RobotsEngineering3.1%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Computer Science Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Computer Science | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Automation & Control Systems | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Computer Science Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Computer Science | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Automation & Control Systems | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Computer Science Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Computer Science | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Automation & Control Systems | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
ESCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
EI CompendexDBLPPublisher website
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 5LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.63LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.18LetPub ·
- h-index
- 35OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 155OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.07OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 21.1%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 1.28%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 153LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 735 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 121 | 4 | 19 |
| 2025 | 157 | 5 | 123 |
| 2024 | 100 | 4 | 262 |
| 2023 | 82 | 9 | 524 |
| 2022 | 49 | 5 | 470 |
| 2021 | 27 | 3 | 490 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Subscription journalLetPub
A subscription journal: articles are read by subscription or purchase, and authors usually pay no publication charge.
No source has fee information yet; check the journal's website.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- World Scientific
- ISSN
- 2301-3850
- Electronic ISSN
- 2301-3869
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Unmanned Systems
What CAS zone is Unmanned Systems in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Unmanned Systems is in Zone 3 of Computer Science, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Automation & Control Systems. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Computer Science. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
Where are the editorial board members of Unmanned Systems based?
Of the 91 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 40 (about 44%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (40), Hong Kong, China (10) and Singapore (8). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Unmanned Systems?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Unmanned Systems is indexed in ESCI and Scopus. The journal's website also lists EI Compendex and DBLP; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Unmanned Systems open access, and what is the APC?
Unmanned Systems is a subscription journal. Fee information is not available yet; check the journal's website.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .