Recent applications and advances of African Vultures Optimization Algorithm

Abstract The African Vultures Optimization Algorithm (AVOA) is a recently developed meta-heuristic algorithm inspired by the foraging behavior of African vultures in nature. This algorithm has gained attention due to its simplicity, flexibility, and effectiveness in tackling many optimization problems. The significance of this review lies in its comprehensive examination of the AVOA’s development, core principles, and applications. By analyzing 112 studies, this review highlights the algorithm’s versatility and the growing interest in enhancing its performance for real-world optimization challenges. This review methodically explores the evolution of AVOA, investigating proposed improvements that enhance the algorithm’s ability to adapt to various search geometries in optimization problems. Additionally, it introduces the AVOA solver, detailing its functionality and application in different optimization scenarios. The review demonstrates the AVOA’s effectiveness, particularly its unique weighting mechanism, which mimics vulture behavior during the search process. The findings underscore the algorithm’s robustness, ease of use, and lack of dependence on derivative information. The review also critically evaluates the AVOA’s convergence behavior, identifying its strengths and limitations. In conclusion, the study not only consolidates the existing knowledge on AVOA but also proposes directions for future research, including potential adaptations and enhancements to address its limitations. The insights gained from this review offer valuable guidance for researchers and practitioners seeking to apply or improve the AVOA in various optimization tasks.