A single civilian drone can bring an entire aerial firefighting operation to a halt, causing critical delays in efforts to contain the blaze. With drones becoming increasingly affordable and accessible, one missed by pilots navigating heavy smoke could mean a catastrophic mid-air collision, putting human lives at risk and causing severe damage to vital firefighting aircraft.
NYU Abu Dhabi electrical engineering student Hugh Richards spent 10 weeks at NASA Glenn Research Center in Ohio studying how aircraft involved in wildfire operations can communicate safely and more reliably.
At NASA’s Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations (ACERO), Richards tested ways for aircraft to exchange information during a crowded network condition so as to not interfere with time-critical work that emergency responders need. He focused on high-frequency vehicle-to-vehicle communications between unmanned aerial systems used in wildfire operations.
I’ve been extremely privileged to work alongside many engineers, including individuals who worked on the Artemis II crewed lunar flyby earlier this year.
He believes his undergraduate research experience in conducting vehicle-to-vehicle communications at NYUAD Wireless under Professor of Electrical Engineering Murat Uysal is one of the reasons why he was successful in clinching the internship.
A deep interest in wireless communications
In his second year at NYUAD, Richards began planning his pathway through what he calls a “top down approach.” Richards started with his end goal–where he wanted to be after graduation–and worked back to his research interest.
Richards approached Professor Uysal and eventually became the professor’s first undergraduate research student, helping with a wireless testbed project. He hopes to publish his research findings as first author before he graduates in 2027.
The internship at NASA solidified Richards’ interest in wireless communications. The senior is considering graduate schools to get ahead in the field, with the hope of becoming a design engineer and creating new products in the market.
