Trends in Advanced Unmanned Aerial Systems

Zheng Hong (George) Zhu is a Professor and Tier 1 York Research Chair in Space Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at York University, Canada. He is the founding Director of Manufacturing Technology Entrepreneurship Centre, and Space Engineering Lab. His research focuses on spacecraft dynamics and control, tethered space systems, autonomous robotics, satellite swarms, computational control, and in-space manufacturing. Dr. Zhu has authored 410 (227 journal and 183 conference) papers. He is recognized as an academician of International Academy of Astronautics, Fellow of the Engineering Academy of Canada and Engineering Institute of Canada, College Member of the Royal Society of Canada, and Fellowships of other prestigious professional organizations. His honors include the 2024 Solid Mechanics Medal and 2021 Robert W. Angus Medal of Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering, the 2024 Gold Medal of Ontario Professional Engineers Awards, and 2021 York University President's Research Excellence Award. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Acta Astronautica.

Prof. Xiaohui Wei is a Dean of College of Aerospace, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, China. Dr.Wei mainly engaged in research on aircraft take-off and landing technologies. He has presided over more than 50 scientific research topics and projects including the National 863 Program and the National Natural Science Foundation of China; won the second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award in 2012, the first prize of the Ministry of Education's Technology Invention Award in 2016, and the 13th China Aeronautical Society Youth Science and Technology Award in 2015; He has obtained 67 authorized patents, published 1 academic monograph, and published more than 100 papers, including more than 60 papers archived in SCI and EI.

Renfu Li received his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). Since 2009, he has been a professor and vice dean of School of Aerospace Engineering at Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST). His research interests include spacecraft dynamics and control, aircraft flight dynamics and control, flight vehicle design and engineering, UAV technology, cooperative control of multi-agent systems, etc. He is recognized as a AIAA Associate Fellow, ASME Fellow. He has won the Industry, University and Research Innovation Award in 2016, Scientific Chinese Person of the Year 2014 and ChuTian Distinguished Professorship in 2012.