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Research

Controls

We lead controls research, the design of algorithms and techniques to enable systems to independently perceive, reason, and act within their environment.

We offer courses in the guidance, navigation, and control of unmanned aerial systems as well as the optimization and control of networked systems. We are leaders in research in control of autonomous systems, bio-inspired engineering, model predictive control, dynamical modeling, and estimation for single and distributed systems. We develop tools that address the temporal, spatial and nonlinear challenges posed by autonomy.

A&A undergrad and graduate students have the opportunity to explore practical applications for autonomy by gaining hands-on flight-testing and field operations experience with interdisciplinary collaborators and partners.

Behçet Açikmeşe

Key research areas

  • Automatic control
  • Autonomous vehicle control
  • Control theory
  • Dynamics and optimization
  • Flight operations
  • Underwater vehicle design
  • Unmanned aerial systems

Associated faculty

Related News

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Tue, 02/17/2026

Grad student Samuel Buckner wins AIAA GNC Best Paper Award

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Isaac Remy named inaugural Amazon AI Ph.D. Fellow

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Students designed and built SOC-i, a shoebox-sized satellite now orbiting Earth after NASA selection.