Flight Systems and Control Laboratory

Today, our lab welcomed four groups of enthusiastic third-year Engineering Science (EngSci) students eager to explore graduate studies and discover what UTIAS and its labs have to offer. The tour featured a presentation by Dr. Longhao Qian on our active research projects, along with a demonstration of our fleet of drones and flight simulator. If you're interested in research opportunities at FSC—whether for your undergraduate thesis, MEng project, or future graduate studies—you can reach out to Professor Hugh Liu. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gpA6dEUe #FSCLab #UTIAS #UofT #UAV #Drones

Here’s a glimpse of Zaheed's presentation on the workings of the flight simulator to the École secondaire Norval-Morrisseau Grade 12 Physics class and Aeromodelling Club, who visited us today for a tour of several labs at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies. It was a pleasure hosting such an engaged group of future engineers! #FSC_Lab #UTIAS #UofT

This past Wednesday, we had the chance to showcase our research at the Flight Systems and Control Laboratory as part of the University of Toronto Engineering’s annual Graduate Research Day. It was a fantastic opportunity to engage with prospective graduate students and share insights into our research. A huge shoutout to our amazing presenters, Ji Tong (Kevin) Chen and Zaheed Elahi, for delivering an engaging presentation featuring our state-of-the-art drones and flight simulator. Their passion and expertise truly brought our research to life! Interested in joining us? Learn how to apply here: https://lnkd.in/gisECFXC #FSC_Lab #UTIAS #UofT

The Fall 2024 edition of the FSC Newsletter is here! From weddings to graduations, groundbreaking research to unforgettable events, this edition captures the incredible highlights of our team's journey this past semester. Dive in and celebrate with us! #FSC_Lab #UTIAS #UofT

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year from the UTADR Team! Hope 2025 is filled with creativity, cutting-edge innovation, and incredible achievements. The sky is the limit!✈️✨ Thanks to Xinyuan Sam Qiao for the awesome video editing. Music is by LudoSoundX from Pixabay. AbuDhabi Autonomous Racing League DCL - Drone Champions League University of Toronto University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies University of Toronto Robotics Institute Vector Institute Learning Systems and Robotics Lab Flight Systems and Control Laboratory

Pushing the Limits of AI-Driven Drone Racing 🏁 The University of Toronto Autonomous Drone Racing Team is proud to have taken on the challenges of the 3rd round of the AbuDhabi Autonomous Racing League X DCL - Drone Champions League Drone Racing Challenge. It was a demanding yet incredibly rewarding experience that pushed our skills, teamwork, and innovation to the next level. A huge thank you to Professor Hugh Liu and Professor Angela Schoellig for their invaluable technical guidance and generous support that made this trip possible. Big thanks as well to University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies for always having our backs – your continuous support means the world to us. We’re also incredibly grateful to A2RL and DCL for organizing this epic competition. It’s amazing to see the best minds in research and industry come together to push the boundaries of AI and drone racing. We’re beyond excited for the final round and can’t wait to see what’s next! We’re open to #partnership and #sponsorship – if you’d like to join us on this journey and help shape the future of AI-driven drone racing, reach out! Let’s make something incredible together. 📽️ Check out our Round 3 summary video – you won’t want to miss this! 😉 University of Toronto, University of Toronto Robotics Institute, Vector Institute, Flight Systems and Control Laboratory, Learning Systems and Robotics Lab, #AI, #DroneRacing, #A2RL, #DCL

From all of us to all of you, happy holidays and best wishes for a joyful and productive new year! 🥳 We celebrated the season with our annual holiday feast, followed by a high-stakes white elephant gift exchange. Plans were made, gifts were stolen, and strategies unraveled at the last minute as that perfect gift slipped away into someone else’s hands—pure holiday chaos at its finest! 😱 Whether you’re taking time to recharge or gearing up for new challenges, we hope this season brings you rest, laughter, and renewed energy for the year ahead. #FSC_Lab

Earlier today, Shangyi Xiong presented her Departmental Doctoral Seminar (DDS), titled "GNSS Drift Correction Control for UAVs in Urban Canyons," marking an important milestone in her PhD journey with the Flight Systems and Control Laboratory. Thesis Abstract "The widespread adoption of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technology in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has significantly enhanced the accuracy of outdoor localization, thereby expanding UAV applications. However, in environments where satellite signals are obstructed, such as dense forests or urban areas, localization accuracy can be compromised, potentially leading to hazardous UAV movements. This thesis focuses on designing a robust flight control law for UAV operations in GNSS drift-prone environments. By assuming a known satellite geometry, GNSS localization accuracy is estimated and used to calculate an optimal tradeoff controller gain. The proposed control framework is based on the Generalized Internal Model Control (GIMC), which integrates nominal and robust controllers with a default tradeoff mechanism. Two models are developed for the tradeoff: a linear model and a data-driven model. The linear model uses the dilution of precision (DOP) as input, assuming a linear relationship between DOP and the optimal control input. The data-driven model, in contrast, leverages a deep neural network (DNN) that takes satellite-relative positions as input, eliminating the assumption of linearity. The novelty of this research lies in the proposed linear and data-driven models, which dynamically optimize control tradeoffs based on localization accuracy. The stability of the proposed method is rigorously analyzed through both analytical and numerical results. Experiments conducted under urban canyon conditions further validate the effectiveness of the approach." Congratulations on this major achievement, Shangyi! We wish you continued success as you prepare for your Final Oral Examination (FOE). #FSCLab #UTIAS #UofT

We are rooting for you guys! #FSCLab #UTIAS #UofT

Today, the #UofTEngineering community remembers the 14 victims of the École Polytechnique massacre that took place on December 6, 1989. We spoke with current students Isobel Arseneau, Rebecca Ing, and Kaija Mikes as well as alumna Gina Mollicone-Long about the importance of memorializing the event and the actions they are taking to end gender-based violence, including the installation of a new student-built sculpture in front of the Galbraith building. University of Toronto community members are invited to attend a student-led ceremony on the front steps of the Galbraith building today at 5pm. Learn more: uofteng.ca/g6uv6n