REU Site: Unmanned Aerial Systems with Real-World Applications in Oklahoma

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) have significantly evolved in recent years, with a broad range of applications, including military, commercial, and recreational uses. For the U.S. to remain a leader in this field, deeper knowledge of UAS systems and a well-trained workforce are essential. Advanced UAS capable of navigating and operating in harsher and more complex environments are expected to have a significant impact on the U.S. economy and infrastructure resilience. This REU Site emphasizes research on sensors for navigation and control to ensure accurate positioning; development of deployable systems; testing drone battery performance under extreme conditions; UAS-based gas leak detection and airborne particulate monitoring; and developing computational tools to identify potential weaknesses and failure points in UAS platforms. Furthermore, the program aims to prepare participants to become future leaders in the rapidly growing UAS industry and to contribute to knowledge development with considerations of societal well-being. The site offers hands-on research experiences that support the development of a skilled UAS workforce. To achieve this goal, the REU Site provides mentoring and training in a supportive, engaging, and challenging learning environment where students develop both technical and professional skills needed for success in engineering and research careers. To encourage a workforce with new and innovative ideas, we will recruit a broad group of students with a focused effort to include students with limited access to STEM opportunities, including first-generation college students. The REU Site will provide a 10-week summer research experience for a cohort of ten students each year over a three-year period. The program will provide coordinated research activities in which students engage in projects with real-world applications, focusing on drone sensor technology, advanced materials, and modeling algorithms for autonomous UAS control across a diverse range of applications. Participants will explore innovative tools in areas such as materials, battery management, remote sensing, and autonomous control systems. Drones will also be used to study gaseous pollutants and airborne particulates, providing insight into environmental risks affecting human health. By integrating sensors, materials, and modeling, the cohort will contribute to developing drones capable of advanced monitoring, data collection, and environmental assessment. The primary goals of this NSF REU Site are: (i) to advance knowledge in drone technology, including sensors, controls, flight systems, materials, and applications, thus improving UAS performance in harsh and challenging environments; (ii) to help strengthen participants’ knowledge of drone technology while developing research skills that support success in engineering; and (iii) to recruit and mentor a cohort of students, including first-generation college students and those from all backgrounds, fostering a sense of belonging and identity within the university and broader academic community. The School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Oklahoma is well positioned to host this REU Site. The program leverages unique open lab environments, including the Kessler Atmospheric and Ecological Field-Testing Station, the Choctaw Nation UAS Integration Pilot Program site, and the OPENLAB for methane detection experiments. The program also provides access to advanced indoor facilities such as a controllable wind tunnel, a state-of-the-art DroneDome, and a psychrometric chamber with adjustable temperature and humidity to create varied thermal microenvironments to evaluate UAS performance under controlled conditions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. NSF Award ID: 2548409 | Program: 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT | Principal Investigator: Wilson Merchan-Merchan | Institution: University of Oklahoma Norman Campus, NORMAN, OK | Award Amount: $456,856 View on NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award/?AWD_ID=2548409 View on Research.gov: https://www.research.gov/awardapi-service/v1/awards/2548409.html