


Dr. Onur Bilgen, Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Rutgers University. talks about the future of flapping wing drones, the role of smart materials in next-generation aircraft design, and how bioinspired engineering could influence the next wave of unmanned aviation innovation.
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Dr. Onur Bilgen is Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Rutgers University. Dr. Bilgen conducts research in the design of advanced drone systems, including fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, hybrid drone systems, and bioinspired ornithopters — flapping wing drones modeled after the flight of birds and insects. His work also explores the use of smart materials and innovative aerospace system designs.
Onur has led NASA University Student Research Challenge projects, including the development of a Multi-Mode Hybrid Unmanned Delivery System. He also teaches a graduate course at Rutgers called Drones: Fundamentals and Applications and has helped expand drone education and testing capabilities through initiatives like the Rutgers Drone Playground and the Buehler Drone Lab’s VICON Motion Tracking System.
In this episode, we’ll talk about the future of flapping wing drones, the role of smart materials in next-generation aircraft design, and how bioinspired engineering could influence the next wave of unmanned aviation innovation.
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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