MechE Seminar Series: Sheng Cheng

Speaker:Sheng Cheng

Title:Toward Future Flying Tools: Precision, Adaptation, and Robustness

Abstract:Autonomous aerial robots are revolutionizing task execution, especially in settings that demand precision and resilience within dynamic environments. In this talk, I will discuss my recent work in quadrotor control and learning, emphasizing precise trajectory tracking, adaptation to unforeseen tasks, and robustness against disturbances and uncertainties. These developments lay the groundwork for aerial robots to autonomously and reliably perform complex tasks, quickly adapt to new environments, and effectively collaborate with humans or other robots. Additionally, I will outline my vision for the future of aerial robotics, transforming them from mere flying vehicles to 'flying tools'—sophisticated machines that actively interact with and manipulate their surroundings. This evolution will significantly enhance efficiency, efficacy, and performance, while better assisting or completely replacing human operators from dangerous tasks.

About the Speaker:Sheng Cheng received the B.Eng. degree in Control Science and Engineering from the Harbin Institute of Technology in China, and the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park. He is now a Postdoctoral Research Associate with the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign. His research interests include aerial robotics, safe learning for control, aerial manipulation, and advanced air mobility. He has been named a 2025 Microsoft Future Leader in Robotics and AI by the University of Maryland.