On July 15, 2019, professor Shaohui Foong of Singapore University of Science and Technology and Design was invited by Xiang Xianbo and Yang Shaolong to visit our institute and gave an academic report entitled "Design and Engineering nature-inspired Aerial Robots" for the students and teachers of our institute. Yang Shaolong and some doctoral, master and undergraduate students participated in this academic exchange activity.
Professor Shaohui Foong is an associate professor in the department of engineering product development at Singapore University of Technology and Design, a visiting scholar at Changi General Hospital. Yang Shaolong expressed his enthusiastic welcome for professor Shaohui Foong's visit. Subsequently, Yang Shaolong introduced the rich research experience of Professor Shaohui Foong, his main research focuses on the new mechatronic system and application design. As the principal investigator of the Aviation Innovation Research Laboratory, he directs multidisciplinary research to achieve unique applications in the aerospace field. Professor Shaohui Foong also pioneered a new type of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can automatically detect tunnels and shafts. The UAV was equipped with a 360-degree rotating camera that can capture high-definition images, with small optical distortions and energy saving effects, thus significantly reducing the weight and increasing the flight time.
Professor Shaohui Foong first introduced the scientific definition and practical application background of various UAVs in an illustrated way, and expounded the schemes adopted by different UAVs to achieve flight. Then he introduced one of his ongoing projects, which centered on the bionic aviation technology and used the diffusion mechanism of maple seeds to simulate and test different shapes of the rotors to find the effective rotor shape that can achieve maximum efficiency of falling. He also introduced the team's test of various fixed wing rotation effects and multi-fixed wing separation rotation test to find the combination mode that can achieve the best results.
Then, Professor Shaohui Foong introduced its flight effect with rotor blade based on maple leaf design, this new drone underactuated configuration mixed the rotorcraft technology and multiple rotors to enable vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) with certain flight endurance. TPP control was adopted to achieve precise control of UAVs, and deep learning controller was used to further reduce control errors.
Finally, professor Shaohui Foong detailed the advantages and disadvantages of helicopter and fixed wing vertical takeoff and landing drone. According to this idea, he also further optimized the UAV so that it can switch between fixed wing and roto wing mode rapidly, and take into account the advantages of both. The content of Professor Shaohui Foong's report was in simple terms, the theory and practice were combined. The atmosphere of the report was very active, and our teachers and students had benefited a lot.
Professor Shaohui Foong also visited the marine vehicle laboratory and ship electric propulsion laboratory of our institute during his visit.
