[ICON Fall25 Seminar] Ningshi Yao (GMU)

Описание: Date/Time: September 26, Friday, 3 - 4:30 pm, ET

Location: MSEE 112

Presenter: Ningshi Yao, Assistant Professor, George Mason University

Title: Dynamics and Control of Lighter Than Air Autonomous Blimps: Design, Development, and Deployment

Abstract: Recent advances in unmanned aerial vehicles highlight the need for safe and convenient platforms for indoor experiments. Quadrotors and multi-copters are popular but limited by short flight durations and safety concerns, restricting their use in indoor applications. Safety nets or cages can provide protection, but they reduce opportunities for interactions with humans. To address these limitations, we develop lighter-than-air (LTA) vehicles as safe and effective flying platforms for indoor use. LTA vehicles achieve relatively long flight durations of up to two hours per battery charge. Furthermore, their buoyant envelopes act as natural cushions, ensuring collisions with humans cause no pain or injury. Recent advances in vision-based feedback control and agile flight dynamics further enhance LTA agents’ capabilities, positioning them as powerful platforms for human–robot interaction, swarm experiments, and robotics competitions. In this talk, I will present our work exploring two directions: (1) propeller-driven LTA vehicles, including a fully autonomous competition agent capable of onboard perception, decision-making, and control without external localization; and (2) bio-inspired flapping-wing LTA vehicles that generate thrust through mechanisms inspired by swimming animals, enabling slow, neutrally buoyant flight. Both approaches have been validated in autonomous blimp competitions, revealing distinct successes, challenges, and research opportunities.