CyberTraining for UAS

Instructors

• Dr. Junfei Xie – jxie4@sdsu.edu
• Dr. Shengli Fu – shengli.fu@unt.edu
• Dr. Yan Wan – yan.wan@uta.edu
• Dr. Kejie Lu – kejie.lu@upr.edu

Office Hours

• Dr. Xie: June 29, July 1, and July 3, 2pm–3pm PT. Zoom link: Join Zoom meeting
• Dr. Wan: June 17, June 19, and June 24, 1pm–2pm CT. Meeting ID: 240 753 391 30; Passcode: miSFLN; Team Link: Join the meeting now
• Dr. Fu: June 16, June 18, and June 23, 2pm–3pm CT. Zoom link: Join Zoom meeting
• Dr. Lu: June 25, June 30, and July 2, 2pm–3pm AST. Link: Join Google Meet

Google Classroom

Join the 2026 UAS Cyber Infrastructure Training Program Google Classroom

Program Description

In recent years, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)—commonly known as drones—have seen unprecedented growth in their use and capabilities across a wide range of sectors, including environmental monitoring, disaster response, agriculture, logistics, and defense. Despite significant technological progress, critical challenges remain in realizing the full potential of UAS, particularly in areas such as autonomy, scalability, and cooperative operation. To meet these evolving demands, there is an urgent need to cultivate a new generation of highly skilled researchers and practitioners capable of driving foundational advancements in UAS technologies.

The UAS Cyber Infrastructure Training Program has been designed specifically to address this need. Targeted at students and early-career professionals, the program provides participants with essential technical, theoretical, and hands-on training in modern UAV systems. Through a combination of online coursework and immersive in-person experiences, the program empowers trainees to engage with real-world UAV technologies and prepare for future research and development roles in this rapidly evolving field.

📘 Program Structure

The UAS Cyber Infrastructure Training Program is organized into four core modules, each focused on a foundational area of UAS technology:

• Module 1: UAS Control – Covers UAV dynamics, single/multi-UAV control strategies, and antenna control.
• Module 2: UAS Communication & Networking – Introduces wireless communication principles, modulation techniques, UAV networking protocols, and system integration.
• Module 3: UAS Computing – Focuses on onboard computing architectures, virtualization techniques, distributed computing, and mobile edge computing.
• Module 4: UAS AI Applications – Explores AI integration in UAVs, from basic machine learning models to federated learning, with emphasis on real-world applications in autonomy and perception.

Each module blends theoretical instruction with hands-on projects.

📅 Program Format

The program consists of two phases:

🖥 Online Training Phase

Dates: June 15 – July 2, 2026

• Delivered asynchronously over three weeks.
• Each module includes 5–6 submodules, each with a required quiz due on the day of release.
• Participants complete a total of 5 graded assignments due on the next day of release.
• Weekly group research and presentation projects on emerging UAS topics promote collaboration and in-depth exploration.

🛫 Onsite Training Phase

Dates: July 6 – July 10, 2026
Location: University of North Texas, Denton, TX

• Offers immersive, in-person experiences with UAV hardware, flight testing, and UAS-based hands-on projects.
• Includes collaborative team exercises, real-world demonstrations, and mentorship from UAS experts.

🎯 Learning Objectives

By the end of the program, trainees will:

• Acquire foundational knowledge in UAV control, communication systems, and networking protocols.
• Develop hands-on skills in real-world UAV operation, simulation, and testing.
• Understand the role and implementation of edge computing and AI applications in UAV systems.
• Join a collaborative community of students, educators, and researchers driving innovation in aerial autonomy.