BoilerBird
This team will develop avian-inspired, flapping-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with embedded autonomy for agile, energy-efficient flight in complex environments.
Advisors:
Description:
These UAVs replicate the flight dynamics of birds, achieving superior maneuverability and stealth. The goal is to couple biomechanics, aerodynamics, and control through integrated modeling and experimentation. Students will work on the design, build, and flight of a flapping-wing UAV prototype, a suite of adaptive flight control algorithms, and a lightweight onboard autonomy architecture that can generalize to other UAVs. Specific projects include (1) bio-inspired morphing wing design with energy-efficient actuation, (2) learning-based flight control algorithms for nonlinear, unsteady flight regimes, and (3) integrated power management systems for small autonomous aircraft. These advances will contribute to next-generation UAV systems with unprecedented maneuverability and endurance, supporting defense, reconnaissance, and environmental monitoring missions. This project aligns with the following majors: AAE, ME, ECE, CS, and Biology.
Relevant Technologies:
- Engineering design
- Control theory
- Prototyping
Pre-requisite knowledge/skills:
- ENGR 13100
- ENGR 13200
- Python programming