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Intrinsic Memory In Digital Snns: Enhancing Performance On The Cart-Pole Task With Fractional-Order Dynamics, Niklas Karl Anderson Aug 2026

Intrinsic Memory In Digital Snns: Enhancing Performance On The Cart-Pole Task With Fractional-Order Dynamics, Niklas Karl Anderson

Dissertations and Theses

Researchers working with Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) are faced with the challenge of identifying useful biologically plausible features for inclusion in neuron models. Prior research indicates that dynamics of fractional-order calculus, which impart a form of intrinsic memory, are a key feature of biological neurons. In this work, we present the development and usage of neural networks with intrinsic memory in application to the cart-pole task, a common benchmark for neural network performance. We found that usage of fractional-order neurons may allow for up to a 37.5% reduction in neural network size as compared to networks using a standard Leaky …


Flightless Eagles And The Redbull Flugtag Experience: How We Built A Manned Low-Speed Glider Out Of Foam And Cardboard, Peter Ulrich, Vansh Varak, Tanay Agarwal, Stanlie Cerda-Cruz, Madison Warner, Rohan Patel Aug 2026

Flightless Eagles And The Redbull Flugtag Experience: How We Built A Manned Low-Speed Glider Out Of Foam And Cardboard, Peter Ulrich, Vansh Varak, Tanay Agarwal, Stanlie Cerda-Cruz, Madison Warner, Rohan Patel

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

This project documents the iterative engineering, design, and construction efforts behind 2 20-foot human-carrying gliders developed by a team of Embry-Riddle students for the Red Bull Flugtag competition. The challenge required balancing aerodynamic performance, structural efficiency, and themed creativity while adhering to strict dimensional and weight limits. Over two consecutive years, the team used both conceptual and computational methods, ranging from initial sketches and precedent research to software-based aerodynamic modeling, subscale testing, and full-scale fabrication, to optimize glide performance in a low-speed, low Reynolds number flight regime. The work emphasized the value of interdisciplinary collaboration, communication, and hands-on engineering judgment …


Remora Ads-B In Receiver, Noah Evans, Sara Patel, Nicholas Gatto, Daniel Ingleton Aug 2026

Remora Ads-B In Receiver, Noah Evans, Sara Patel, Nicholas Gatto, Daniel Ingleton

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

The Remora is a compact Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) receiver, designed to enhance situational awareness for pilots operating experimental and homebuilt aircraft. Unlike conventional panel or windscreen-mounted systems, the Remora is installed externally, making it a low-profile solution to the ADS-B In challenge. The device integrates easily with the aircraft’s existing power supply. It transmits data wirelessly to electronic flight bags (EFBs) within the cockpit, using existing iOS and Android software for display and user interaction.   The primary function of the Remora is to provide public-access, real-time traffic awareness and weather forecasting, enabling pilots to make informed mission decisions. …


Starlink-Based Navigation System For Fixed-Wing Uav, Aidan Panter, Ayse Okatan, Spencer Richter, Carson Frankovic, Faheem Khan, Eldon Crossett, Oleg Sugatov, Dylan Hardt Aug 2026

Starlink-Based Navigation System For Fixed-Wing Uav, Aidan Panter, Ayse Okatan, Spencer Richter, Carson Frankovic, Faheem Khan, Eldon Crossett, Oleg Sugatov, Dylan Hardt

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Conventional UAV navigation and control systems rely on short-range RF communication, imposing significant limitations on operational range, real-time control capabilities, and autonomous mission execution beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). While existing research addresses regulatory frameworks, communication relay strategies, and positioning optimization for extended-range operations, a comprehensive and cost-effective solution integrating satellite-based Internet connectivity with web-accessible control remains absent from the literature. This project develops a Starlink-based navigation and control system for fixed-wing UAVs that overcomes traditional range constraints through low-earth orbit satellite and cell network connectivity. The system integrates a Starlink terminal with an onboard flight computer running custom …


Human Factors And Passenger Survival In Aircraft Emergency Evacuations, Anjelysa Oleszewski, Adam Dvorak, Anthony Bulko, Christopher Lee, Nicholas Murphy Aug 2026

Human Factors And Passenger Survival In Aircraft Emergency Evacuations, Anjelysa Oleszewski, Adam Dvorak, Anthony Bulko, Christopher Lee, Nicholas Murphy

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

In the event of an emergency where evacuation of the aircraft is necessary, passengers have 90 seconds to locate their nearest exit and egress as safely and quickly as possible. However, news outlets have reported multiple occurrences of passengers evacuating and taking their belongings with them during this decade. The root of this hazard occurs in multiple areas of flight, particularly during safety briefings and during emergency evacuations. The purpose of this project is to focus on improving passenger knowledge of safety features such as exit door locations through digital mediums and strengthen deliverance of life-saving information. The project shares …


Classification Of Sequential Factors In Aviation Accident Cause Prediction, Sophia Nasca, Addyson Wolfe Aug 2026

Classification Of Sequential Factors In Aviation Accident Cause Prediction, Sophia Nasca, Addyson Wolfe

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Uncovering the root causes of aviation accidents is a critical component of improving aviation safety. Traditional approaches are largely reactive, relying on post-incident analysis rather than proactively identifying risk factors. This project addresses the need for proactive safety by using a multi-source dataset that integrates aviation accident records, weather conditions, and maintenance data extracted from investigative reports. The objective of this work is to move beyond predicting broad probable causes and instead model the sequence of contributing factors that lead to aviation incidents. Using the Swiss Cheese Model, the study will capture layered failures across operational, environmental, and maintenance domains. …


Low-Complexity Polynomial Ring Learning For Quantum Space Assets, Lola Torres Aug 2026

Low-Complexity Polynomial Ring Learning For Quantum Space Assets, Lola Torres

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Secure communication for space-based systems requires cryptographic methods that remain both reliable and efficient under strict computational constraints. This work investigates a low-complexity polynomial ring learning algorithm designed for quantum space assets, including satellite–ground communication systems. The project focuses on post-quantum cryptographic principles, where encryption and decryption rely heavily on repeated polynomial operations; this can be computationally expensive with constrained platforms. This is addressed with reformulating polynomial multiplication as a structured linear transformation on coefficient vectors. By representing these operations as matrices with a cyclic structure, the structure allows the use of the discrete Fourier transform (DFT); this will simplify …


Small Uas Detection: Threat Intelligence & Risk Management Project, Tyler Johnson Aug 2026

Small Uas Detection: Threat Intelligence & Risk Management Project, Tyler Johnson

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

The TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION / FEDERAL AIR MARSHAL SUAS DETECTION: THREAT INTELLIGENCE & RISK MANAGEMENT PROJECT addresses the emerging safety and security challenges posed by the rapid growth of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) in complex airspace environments. This study analyzed 92 days of sensor-captured Remote Identification (RID) data collected near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) to assess operational behaviors, aviation risk, and ground risk associated with drone activity. The primary objective of this research is to identify patterns of unauthorized or hazardous sUAS operations to enhance situational awareness and inform actionable risk-mitigation strategies. The analysis identified 335 flights from …


Stability Through Chaos: Atmospheric Impact And Control Strategies For Laser Communication, Om Acharya, Mykailla Harper, Mark Vanberschot, Aldir Moreira Aug 2026

Stability Through Chaos: Atmospheric Impact And Control Strategies For Laser Communication, Om Acharya, Mykailla Harper, Mark Vanberschot, Aldir Moreira

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Study of Atmospheric Effects and Mitigation Strategies in Free-Space Optical Communication Systems examines the fundamental limitations imposed by atmospheric disturbances on point-to-point laser communication links and evaluates methods to improve link reliability and performance. Free-space optical communication offers high data rates and reduced spectral congestion compared to radiofrequency systems, but its effectiveness is constrained by atmospheric effects including turbulence-induced scintillation, beam wander, absorption, and scattering. These phenomena introduce fluctuations in signal intensity and pointing errors, leading to degraded link stability and increased bit error rates. The work analyzes these atmospheric effects and investigates mitigation strategies that enhance optical link robustness …


Case Study - China Airlines Flight 006, Jaxon Daniels, Ryan Lutwin, Jacob Patterson, Elizabeth Bosan, Ronyn Orrell Aug 2026

Case Study - China Airlines Flight 006, Jaxon Daniels, Ryan Lutwin, Jacob Patterson, Elizabeth Bosan, Ronyn Orrell

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

On February 19, 1985, China Airlines Flight 006, a regularly scheduled flight from Taipei, Taiwan, to Los Angeles, California, experienced a serious in-flight upset while cruising at high altitude. The aircraft subsequently entered a steep, uncontrolled spiral dive, during which it experienced extreme G-forces and sustained structural damage. After regaining control, the crew diverted the aircraft to San Francisco International Airport, where it landed safely (National Transportation Safety Board, 1986). The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) framework helps to identify and analyse the organizational elements and conditions that lead to aviation accidents (Small, 2020). Aviation accidents are not …


Orbital Servicing Calibration And Repair (O.S.C.A.R.), Samantha Rogers, Chloe Arnold, Ava Laudadio Aug 2026

Orbital Servicing Calibration And Repair (O.S.C.A.R.), Samantha Rogers, Chloe Arnold, Ava Laudadio

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites operate in an environment that exposes them to cumulative radiation effects, micrometeoroids, and orbital debris, and limited opportunities for post-launch intervention. These factors can degrade satellite performance over time, leading to anomalies that may cause data corruption, mission failure, or require human intervention for repair. While previous on-orbit servicing efforts have demonstrated repair and life-extension capabilities, most have focused on Geosynchronous satellites or controlled test environments, leaving a gap in servicing concepts tailored specifically to LEO satellites.The O.S.C.A.R. (Orbital Servicing, Calibration, and Repair) project investigates the design of a robotic servicing system for inspecting, calibrating, …


Innovative Controls For Combustible Particulate Dust In Industrial Refineries, Sadie Dickman Aug 2026

Innovative Controls For Combustible Particulate Dust In Industrial Refineries, Sadie Dickman

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

This project entails an extensive analysis of the occupational combustible dust hazard that exists in industrial refineries, including food processing, manufacturing, and metalworking facilities. Based on prior accidents like the 2008 Imperial Sugar and 2017 Didion Milling explosions, combustible dust causes fire and explosion risks that can result in damages, injuries, and fatalities. Through comparison of OSHA regulations, NFPA standards, and accident data, a lack of effective standards regarding training, audits, ventilation, fire prevention, and adequate housekeeping measures were highlighted to be an existing safety gap. The purpose of this study is to propose administrative controls to mandate companies to …


Humans Vs. Ai: Comparing Approaches To Disaster Response Interface Design, Kelly Nguyen, Olivia Hartmann, Kailey Hrbek, Madeline Nees, Gabrielle Roth, Emily Silliman Aug 2026

Humans Vs. Ai: Comparing Approaches To Disaster Response Interface Design, Kelly Nguyen, Olivia Hartmann, Kailey Hrbek, Madeline Nees, Gabrielle Roth, Emily Silliman

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Amphibious emergency support operations involve rapidly changing information, high stress, and significant cognitive demands, which can make decision-making and situation awareness more difficult for operators. When interfaces are poorly designed, they can contribute to issues such as alarm flooding, confusion from incomplete information, and delayed responses, all of which increase operational risk during time-critical disaster situations. This study explores whether using generative AI to assist with interface design will improve performance (output quality and effort) and usability compared to a manual sketch mock-up. Participants were asked to design a dashboard interface to support disaster relief operations following a Category 5 …


An Innovative Approach To Real-Time Noise Monitoring And Detection In Airport Ramp Operations, Grace Hamilton, Nicole E. Egan, Anderson Peralta, Deyaneira Rodriguez, Maria G. Valentinez Aug 2026

An Innovative Approach To Real-Time Noise Monitoring And Detection In Airport Ramp Operations, Grace Hamilton, Nicole E. Egan, Anderson Peralta, Deyaneira Rodriguez, Maria G. Valentinez

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Airport ramp personnel are routinely exposed to hazardous noise levels exceeding occupational safety thresholds, increasing the risk of permanent hearing loss, degraded communication, and operational incidents. Traditional ramp noise management relies primarily on periodic monitoring and personnel protective equipment (PPE), which limits real-time hazard recognition and a proactive risk mitigation strategy. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and financial effectiveness of implementing a real-time noise monitoring and detection system within airport ramp operations in alignment with Safety Management System (SMS) principles. A literature review, Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA), and financial cost-benefit analysis were conducted to compare …


Mob-Air: Sensing Package Development For Maritime Search And Rescue Uav, Rachel Jacobsen, Liam Abraham, Ethan Thomas, Madeline Thomson, Nikolaos Triantafilloy Aug 2026

Mob-Air: Sensing Package Development For Maritime Search And Rescue Uav, Rachel Jacobsen, Liam Abraham, Ethan Thomas, Madeline Thomson, Nikolaos Triantafilloy

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Man-overboard (MOB) search and rescue (SAR) operations present a persistent maritime challenge, where rapid and reliable detection of a person in the water is critical to mission success. MOB-Air is developing a modular sensing package for an unmanned aerial system (UAS) to enhance SAR missions through autonomous human detection in maritime environments. This capability directly supports Navy maritime operations by improving overboard recovery, reducing search timelines, and enabling persistent aerial monitoring in contested or resource-constrained environments. The system evaluates thermal and visual imaging sensors using a custom horizontal-rail testing frame with a mobile payload. A ROS 2–based software architecture supports …


Evaluation Of Orbit And Mission Design Parameters Considered In Real Space Missions, Enrique Alejandro Amaya Villegas Aug 2026

Evaluation Of Orbit And Mission Design Parameters Considered In Real Space Missions, Enrique Alejandro Amaya Villegas

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Orbit and mission design constitute a fundamental spacecraft subsystem, as the selected orbital regime and mission profile strongly influence power availability, communications geometry, propulsion requirements, and overall mission performance. This project investigates how key quantitative and qualitative parameters guide orbit and mission design decisions in real space missions, with particular emphasis on orbital altitude and inclination, ground coverage and revisit time, mission lifetime, launch vehicle performance constraints, and propulsion budgets. The primary objective is to develop a structured understanding of how high-level scientific or commercial objectives, together with cost, risk, and operational constraints, are translated into specific orbital architectures and …


Project Chimaera: Development Of A Tessellated Tetrahedral Truss Structure For Adaptive Multi-Regime Morphing Wing Technology, Evan Meyer, Eric Rodarte, Maximo Failla, Joshua Shuster, Jackson G. Schuler Aug 2026

Project Chimaera: Development Of A Tessellated Tetrahedral Truss Structure For Adaptive Multi-Regime Morphing Wing Technology, Evan Meyer, Eric Rodarte, Maximo Failla, Joshua Shuster, Jackson G. Schuler

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Project Chimaera: Physical Assembly of tessellated tetrahedral wing for Multi-Regime Flight. Modern Aircrafts lose aerodynamic efficiency because they are primarily made utilizing fixed wings which are designed for a single optimal flight condition. This forces an aircraft’s performance to become compromised across various speed maneuvers and flight regimes. Project Chimaera addresses this limitation through the development of a morphing wing capable of dynamically changing its geometry extensively during flight to allow an aircraft to travel between subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic speeds. Whereas traditional wings rely on wing flaps and other flight controls; Project Chimaera addresses the limitation of flight controls …


Applications Of A Swarm-Behavior Model On Existing Satellite Constellations, Naomi Lee Aug 2026

Applications Of A Swarm-Behavior Model On Existing Satellite Constellations, Naomi Lee

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

The scope of this work explores biological swarm behavior and its application to low- and medium-sized Earth orbit satellite constellation systems. Existing constellation structures have predetermined orbits, meaning there is little adaptivity in the spacing and interactions between satellites. This allows for formation disruption by atmospheric perturbations in lower Earth orbit trajectories but can be countered with interactive controls that help with structure stability. This adaptive spacing and control can also be applied in MEO constellations in coverage and positioning optimization. In ‘mimicking’ this swarm behavior in starling murmurations, the separation, alignment, and cohesion flocking behavior of satellite groupings will …


Navigating Enhanced Exploration Assistance (Nexa), Azhari Abbas, Caleb Fakunle, Ryan Powell, Donovan Livingston Aug 2026

Navigating Enhanced Exploration Assistance (Nexa), Azhari Abbas, Caleb Fakunle, Ryan Powell, Donovan Livingston

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

NEXA is an artificial intelligence software platform developed to enhance residential security and property monitoring through seamless integration with autonomous drone systems. This research application of advanced AI in surveillance aims to create a standalone solution capable of real-time threat detection and intelligent alert management. By processing visual and sensory data, NEXA facilitates autonomous drone operation with minimal human intervention. Secure communication channels ensure that instant alerts are delivered to property owners and, potentially, law enforcement, improving response times in security incidents, search-and-rescue operations, and perimeter surveillance. Additionally, NEXA is capable of interfacing with commercially available drone platforms and presents …


Helio: Heliophysics Enhanced Learning For Intelligent Orbits, Kylie Nager, James Kirk Aug 2026

Helio: Heliophysics Enhanced Learning For Intelligent Orbits, Kylie Nager, James Kirk

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

HELIO: Heliophysics Enhanced Learning for Intelligent Orbits   Satellite constellations operating in near-Earth space are increasingly vulnerable to space weather disturbances, such as solar flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and high-speed solar wind streams, which degrade communications, destabilize attitude control, and accelerate orbital decay. These disturbances directly threaten mission continuity, constellation availability, and space asset survivability. Current protective approaches rely primarily on ground-based alerts and lack integration with broader space domain awareness, which results in programmed reactive protocols that are often initiated too late to prevent performance degradation and asset loss. The HELIO project addresses this gap by turning space-weather forecasts …


Feasibility Of High-Throughput Onboard Ai For Mars Rovers Under Solar Constraints, Aashman Gupta Aug 2026

Feasibility Of High-Throughput Onboard Ai For Mars Rovers Under Solar Constraints, Aashman Gupta

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

This project evaluates the feasibility of sustained onboard AI autonomy for a solar-powered Mars rover by directly linking solar energy availability to achievable compute performance. While Mars solar irradiance and edge computing performance have been studied independently, no unified framework currently couples surface power generation to autonomy throughput in an experimentally validated manner. The project will begin with a simulation of solar power generation for a 1 m² rover-mounted array across a Martian sol, accounting for seasonal variation, dust opacity, and array configuration (fixed versus sun-tracking). The resulting power profile will then be coupled to representative compute platforms running autonomy …


Future Meteorological Droughts In The Southeastern Us, Kunal Bhardwaj, C. Prakash Khedun, Abdul A. Khan Aug 2026

Future Meteorological Droughts In The Southeastern Us, Kunal Bhardwaj, C. Prakash Khedun, Abdul A. Khan

Journal of South Carolina Water Resources

The Southeastern U.S., despite its humid climate, experiences recurrent meteorological droughts which impact agricultural, water resources, ecological systems, and the economy and society. Knowledge of future drought conditions can guide adaptation efforts. Here, we evaluate historical and projected droughts using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) computed from an ensemble of eight bias-corrected Global Climate Models (GCMs) from the Climate Model Intercomparison Phase-6 (CMIP6). The historical performance (1950–2014) of the GCM’s mean was benchmarked against gridded observations from the Climate Research Unit (CRU). Future changes were assessed under 1.5°C, 2.0°C, and 3.0°C global warming levels.We …


Assessing Non-Thermal Plasma In Cutaneous Regeneration, Arden Rodriguez, Meliah Martin, Graeme Grainger, Arineh Shahbazi Aug 2026

Assessing Non-Thermal Plasma In Cutaneous Regeneration, Arden Rodriguez, Meliah Martin, Graeme Grainger, Arineh Shahbazi

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Chronic and acute wounds remain a significant clinical challenge, particularly in austere and resource-limited environments where access to advanced care is restricted. Non-Thermal Plasma (NTP) has emerged as a promising, non-invasive modality with reported antimicrobial and regenerative properties; however, its mechanisms of action and effects on human skin tissue require further characterization. The scope of this project is to engineer and utilize a 3D human skin epithelial model to evaluate the effects of NTP on wound healing. We will first build a 3D epithelial tissue model that will simulate human skin, followed by modeling and evaluation of wound pathology and …


Phaëthon System, Brady Roudabush, Lauren Gallo, Emelia Thompson, Jacob Woods Aug 2026

Phaëthon System, Brady Roudabush, Lauren Gallo, Emelia Thompson, Jacob Woods

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Phaëthon System is the project name for the Search and Rescue Drone Initiative. This initiative will improve the current search and rescue drone industry by introducing new techniques to get through dense forest canopies and other places where an overhead view is not useful. The Phaëthon System uses a swarm of drones that can penetrate under the tree canopy to map and search with the utmost efficiency and safety for rescuers. A command drone is launched to survey the overall search area, and set up a communications and data link. The next component is then released, which is a swarm …


Real-Time Fused Sensor System For Early Onboard Detection Of Weather Phenomena, Sanjana Singh Aug 2026

Real-Time Fused Sensor System For Early Onboard Detection Of Weather Phenomena, Sanjana Singh

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Weather-related hazards continue to be a major cause of operational interruptions and safety issues in the aviation sector. Atmospheric phenomena, including turbulence, microbursts, convective storms, and rapidly changing boundary-layer conditions, can arise quickly and often occur on spatial scales that are not adequately addressed by regional forecasting systems. These phenomena particularly endanger aircraft flying at low altitudes, such as general aviation planes, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and those during takeoff and landing Although meteorological forecasting systems and ground-based radar networks offer important regional insights, they may fail to detect localized atmospheric variations encountered along specific flight routes. Consequently, pilots and …


Professionalism And Performance Expectations In The Modern Aviation Industry, Anayah Smith, Spencer Baldock Spencer Baldock Aug 2026

Professionalism And Performance Expectations In The Modern Aviation Industry, Anayah Smith, Spencer Baldock Spencer Baldock

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

The aviation industry operates as a highly regulated, safety-critical environment in which professionalism and consistent performance are essential to maintaining operational safety and reliability. However, emerging shifts in workforce composition, communication styles, and technology integration have created misalignment between traditional professional standards and evolving employee expectations. Established aviation cultures emphasize structured procedures, formal feedback mechanisms, and communication hierarchy, while newer entrants, shaped by digital communication norms and contemporary academic environments, often expect continuous feedback, collaborative leadership, and adaptive performance evaluation. Prior research on crew resource management, human error frameworks, and generational work values highlights how inconsistencies in communication, feedback expectations, …


Investigating The Spatial Scales Of Ionospheric Irregularities Using Wavelet Analysis, Nash Mcleod Aug 2026

Investigating The Spatial Scales Of Ionospheric Irregularities Using Wavelet Analysis, Nash Mcleod

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Investigating the Spatial Scales of Ionospheric Irregularities Using Wavelet Analysis:   Ionospheric radio wave scintillation arises from plasma density irregularities in Earth’s ionosphere. Consequently, rapid fluctuations occur in the phase and amplitude of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals and can impact communication and navigation systems. These irregularities span from a wide range of spatial and temporal scales and evolve dynamically under the influence of magnetosphere-ionosphere (MI) processes. We investigate phase and amplitude scintillation events using Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) to study the spatial evolution of ionospheric irregularities. These irregularities are thought to be formed via different plasma mechanisms such as …


Gravity Gradient Exploration Satellite, Luke Ritchie, Isaac Rosenthal, Benjamin Mason, Nathaniel O’Hara Aug 2026

Gravity Gradient Exploration Satellite, Luke Ritchie, Isaac Rosenthal, Benjamin Mason, Nathaniel O’Hara

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

The Gravity Gradient Exploration Satellite (GGEOS) is a single-unit CubeSat technology demonstration being developed by a group of four undergraduate aerospace engineering students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The mission is designed to validate a controlled, motor-driven, semi-rigid space-tether and deployment system. Space tethers offer significant potential for gravity gradient stabilization and propellant-less electrodynamic propulsion, however past missions have frequently failed due to rebound and tangling from their spring-based deployment systems and elastic tethers. GGEOS mitigates these challenges using a semi-rigid, tape-measure-like tether, deployed with a stepper-motor-driven extrusion system enabling slow, controlled deployment and reduced post-deployment problems. The spacecraft architecture utilizes …


Accelerating Search And Rescue Response: A Simulation Study On The Dynamic Efficiency Of Flocking-Enabled Drone Swarms, Sophia Beckwith, Carys Del Prete Aug 2026

Accelerating Search And Rescue Response: A Simulation Study On The Dynamic Efficiency Of Flocking-Enabled Drone Swarms, Sophia Beckwith, Carys Del Prete

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

This project explores how imitations observed in animal group behavior, specifically flocking in birds, can be applied to the functionality of autonomous drone systems to aid in search and rescue efforts. The goal is to demonstrate how incorporating code based on the Boids, Vicsck and predictive control linear algebraic mathematical models for drone flight controls and the collective behaviors of flocks will increase the efficiency of drone maneuvers, allowing them to reorganize and fill gaps when one is removed. A MATLAB-based simulation was developed to model the behaviors using research conducted on the symmetric and synchronized behaviors observed from flocks …


Greenwall Use For Air Repair And Depollution (G.U.A.R.D.), Sophia Elwood, Sophia Piro, Maura Barrada, Kathrine Lopez, Wendi Goffer Aug 2026

Greenwall Use For Air Repair And Depollution (G.U.A.R.D.), Sophia Elwood, Sophia Piro, Maura Barrada, Kathrine Lopez, Wendi Goffer

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Creating habitable indoor environments for long-duration space missions and extraterrestrial habitats requires reliable, sustainable air quality improvement. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s ACE Lab provides a unique opportunity to investigate plant-based purification in a controlled environment while addressing campus air quality concerns linked to a high-traffic airport and exposure to jet fuel particulate matter and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This collaborative project between Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering researchers and the Botanical Society evaluates whether a green wall can improve indoor air quality as a scalable model for future closed-loop habitats. In the study's first phase, student researchers documented ACE Lab dimensions to …