Saad Biaz, faculty member in the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, and Gilbert Crouse, faculty member in the Department of Aerospace Engineering, have received more than $320,000 from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense to continue hosting an NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) on smart unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for three more years. This is the 10th summer for the REU site, which was focused on pervasive and mobile computing until changing topics to smart UAVs two years ago. Auburn’s REU site on UAVs will offer a diverse group of undergraduate students from universities across the country the opportunity to research and design algorithms to fly six to 12 UAVs autonomously, safely and efficiently within a limited space. Smart UAVs alter their course to avoid conflict without requiring intervention from human operators.

“Hosting an REU site brings more attention and recognition to the university and its programs,” said Biaz. “We have an established history of undergraduate research at Auburn and in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering.”