Spencer F
- Research Program Mentor
PhD Doctor of Philosophy candidate
Expertise
Drones, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Guidance and Control, Path Planning.
Project ideas
Solar Soaring: Designing a Solar-Powered RC Glider
This hands-on project will have you modifying a small RC glider with solar panels to improve the aircraft's endurance on sunny days. The project will teach you about power management of small drones, and how we might use renewable energy to improve their capabilities. You will need experience flying RC aircraft, as well as access to a suitable workspace, somewhere to fly RC aircraft (like a park), and electrical equipment (soldering station, wiring, misc. tools, etc.).
A Survey of Bio-Inspired Drones
In this project you will learn about recent attempts to incorporate observations from biology in the design of novel drones. You will write a review article that surveys relevant literature and key results regarding bio-inspired aerial vehicles ranging from flapping wing drones to robotic maple seeds.