Candace BarnetteNASA’s latest round of University Leadership Initiative (ULI) awards will put three university teams to work addressing key aviation challenges.
The selected teams are:
- Florida Institute of Technology: Developing frameworks for autonomous aviation safety systems using AI and machine learning.
- University of Colorado Boulder: Investigating tools for managing communications in collaborative, autonomous airspace systems.
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University: Researching self-diagnostic health management for Advanced Air Mobility vehicles to improve safety.
The teams, composed of both graduate and undergraduate students, will collaborate with faculty, other universities and industry partners to conduct real-world flight research and advance 21st-century aviation. The research will focus on improving flight operations, enhancing communication systems and exploring autonomous flight capabilities.
These projects will receive up to $20.7 million in funding over the next three years.
ULI was created with the endorsement of the National Research Council in 2015. The program offers universities the chance to receive funding and lead their own research teams to address challenges in aeronautics.
The initiative supports NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) goals by encouraging collaboration across disciplines and institutions. Teams are expected to explore transition opportunities and seek additional funding from stakeholders and industry partners.
The program invites proposals from universities, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and minority-serving institutions, and emphasizes integrating less-established partner schools into the research process.
Photo Courtesy
NASA Goddard Photo and Video
NASA/GSFC/Debora McCallum via Wikimedia Commons
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