This book presents the proceedings of the 4th EAI International Conference on Automation and Control in Theory and Practice (ARTEP 2026), which took place from May 13–15, 2026 Sromowce Niżne, Poland.  This book offers valuable insights from scientists in automation and control, blending theory and practice to reflect advances in the field. It explores key theoretical foundations, including modern automatic management methods, modelling, simulation, and the role of artificial intelligence alongside practical engineering education. The discussion extends to contemporary automation technologies within Industry 4.0, highlighting hardware and software solutions for machine and process automation, with concrete examples and industrial applications. Attention is also given to emerging trends with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Industry 5.0, focusing on AI-driven autonomous systems, real-time data processing, autonomous navigation, and collaborative UAV missions, as well as advanced sensing and imaging technologies relevant to industrial logistics and manufacturing. The experiments and research presented enable readers to expand their knowledge and apply these findings practically. Each article features a clear structure and visual aids supporting the research, making the content accessible not only to specialists but also to general readers.

Michal Balog currently works as a research fellow at the Institute of Logistics and Transport at the Technical University of Košice and as a visiting professor at the Pan-European University in Prague. He earned his Master’s degree in Technical Cybernetics from the Technical University of Košice and his Ph.D. in Machine and Equipment Construction from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava. His research areas include control and information systems and their applications in various fields, especially transportation and production management. He holds several patents, primarily in the field of intelligent control for railway transport. Throughout his career, he has supervised numerous Master’s theses and Ph.D. students, mentoring 7 young researchers and more than 100 engineers. Michal Balog has authored over 130 research papers published in renowned international journals and conference proceedings, including IEEE and EAI. 
Ján Piteľ is a full professor of Automation at the Technical University of Košice (Slovakia), where he currently serves as a vice-rector for International Relations and Mobilities. His research activities focus on the modeling, simulation, automatic control, and monitoring of machines and processes. He has authored more than 130 scientific papers indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases, receiving over 1,400 SCI citations (with a Hirsch index of 25 in Scopus and 19 in WoS). He is the inventor or co-inventor of more than 70 patents and utility models. He has led numerous national projects (including EU Structural Funds projects) and one H2020 experimental project, and he currently participates in an EC-funded Horizon Europe project. Ján Piteľ received his Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the Technical University of Košice in 1985. 
Yevheniia Basova currently serves as an associate professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology and Metal-Cutting Machines within the Institute of Education and Science in Mechanical Engineering and Transport at the National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute” (NTU “KhPI”) in Ukraine. She holds a Ph.D. in Manufacturing Engineering and successfully defended her higher doctoral dissertation, earning the Doctor of Sciences (DSc) degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology in 2026. Her research interests focus on advanced manufacturing processes, high-speed milling, laser surface texturing, and the sustainable development of engineering technologies within the frameworks of Industry 4.0 and 5.0. As a principal investigator and lead researcher, Dr. Basova has managed several national and international research projects. She has authored numerous scientific papers indexed in Scopus and Web of Science, and frequently serves as an editor for collective volumes published by Springer in the Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering series.