When a childhood medical issue with his eyesight delayed his plan to become an airplane pilot, Hudson Tsang learned there’s more than one way to fly. He discovered that Purdue Polytechnic’s unmanned aerial systems major is a perfect fit.

Purdue Polytechnic faculty in the “Realizing the Digital Enterprise” research impact area are working to pair technological capability and social responsibility, creating successful cyber–physical experiences.

Purdue Aviation Day will be held April 9, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Purdue University Airport. The event, which is free and open to the public, offers families the opportunity to explore aircraft from different eras, hear guest speakers and view exhibits from the aviation industry. No tickets or registration are required.

General aviation pilots will be welcome to fly their aircraft to the event and attend a “fly-in breakfast” from 9 to 11 a.m. Pilots flying in are asked to register in advance; see the link in the article.

The annual aviation celebration is planned and executed exclusively by student leaders within the School of Aviation and Transportation Technology in Purdue’s Polytechnic Institute.

John H. Mott, associate professor of aviation and transportation technology, has been named the new head of Purdue University’s School of Aviation and Transportation Technology.

Ziyang Tang, a graduate researcher in Purdue Polytechnic’s Department of Computer and Information Technology, and his research team have developed new methods to help computers process images from unmanned aerial systems, recognizing irregularly sized objects like wildfires more quickly and accurately.

Dawit Lemma, founder and CEO of Krimson Aviation and a 2002 graduate from Purdue’s aeronautical engineering technology and flight technology programs, launched the $100,000 Krimson Aviation Scholarship and the Krimson Business Opportunity Program Scholarship for students from minority groups under-represented in aviation.

Three students in Purdue University’s School of Aviation and Transportation Technology earned scholarships from the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading Foundation totaling $33,000. The scholarship recipients are Pratik Jadhav and Parth Mehta, both graduate students in aviation and aerospace management, and Branden Gallimore, senior in aviation management.

Mike Leasure, associate professor of aviation technology, has been appointed coordinator of unmanned aerial systems for Purdue University’s new FAA certificate of authorization (COA) for agriculture. A COA approved the use of airspace for the flight of registered unmanned aircraft.

The new unmanned aerial systems major at Purdue will help students examine the entire system surrounding the unmanned aerial industry, including design, operations, sensors, commerce and policy.