A novel deep reinforcement learning framework with human activation function to control quadrotor

Abstract

Deep reinforcement learning (DRL) has emerged as a powerful approach in machine learning, widely applied to the control of nonlinear and multivariable systems such as aerial robots. However, conventional DRL algorithms still face challenges including instability in convergence, high computational complexity, and sensitivity to network configurations. In this study, a novel DRL framework is proposed based on the human activation function (HAF), inspired by neural decision-making mechanisms in the human brain. Unlike traditional continuous activation functions, HAF discretely regulates the activation of neural network layers by restricting outputs to binary values 0, 1, indicating whether a layer should be dynamically active or inactive in the information flow. The proposed architecture integrates HAF with the proximal policy optimization algorithm and is evaluated on a simulated quadrotor platform. Simulation results demonstrate that incorporating HAF significantly reduces the number of trainable parameters, enhances training stability, accelerates convergence, and improves trajectory tracking accuracy. Comparative analyses with standard DRL methods confirm the superiority of the proposed model in terms of adaptive control performance and decision-making efficiency in complex dynamic environments. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2026.