Research Projects
Ongoing research in the Dynamics and Control Lab, organized into control theory, numerical study, and hardware.
The Dynamics and Control Lab develops the mathematical foundations of dynamical systems and control and applies them to autonomous and networked systems. Our work spans three areas: control theory, numerical study, and hardware.
Control Theory
Semistability analysis
Many engineered and natural networks settle not to a single equilibrium but to one of a continuum of equilibria selected by the initial conditions — for instance, the common value reached by a consensus protocol. Semistability is the appropriate stability notion for such systems. We develop Lyapunov and geometric conditions for asymptotic, finite-time, and fixed-time semistability of nonlinear discrete-time systems, and apply them to multiagent coordination and network consensus.
Related publications: IEEE TAC 2022, Automatica 2022, SCL 2024, book chapter 2025.
Stochastic stability
Real systems operate under noise — sensor errors, random communication dropouts, and environmental disturbances. We extend Lyapunov stability and semistability theory to discrete-time stochastic dynamical systems, establishing theorems for stability, semistability, and ultimate boundedness in probability, with application to network consensus under random communication noise.
Related publications: Automatica 2022, IEEE TAC 2023, Automatica 2024, IFAC 2025.
Finite- and fixed-time stability
Classical asymptotic stability only guarantees convergence as time tends to infinity. For time-critical autonomy we study finite-time stability — convergence within a settling time that depends on the initial state — and fixed-time stability, in which the settling-time bound is uniform and independent of initialization. We develop both the stability tests and the optimal feedback controllers that achieve these guarantees for nonlinear, hybrid, and stochastic discrete-time systems.
Related publications: Automatica 2020, IEEE TAC 2022, IEEE TAC 2023, IJC 2023, Automatica 2024.
Nontangency analysis
Certifying convergence and (semi)stability for nonlinear systems with a continuum of equilibria is difficult using classical strict-Lyapunov arguments alone. We develop nontangency-based tests — geometric conditions on how the system’s motion approaches the set of equilibria — that establish convergence and stability in discrete-time dynamical systems, complementing and in some cases relaxing standard Lyapunov requirements.
Related publications: SIADS 2025, ACC 2023, ACC 2025.
Numerical Study
Thermodynamic particle swarm optimization
We design particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithms grounded in thermodynamic and dynamical-systems principles for swarm robotics across ground and aerial platforms. Treating the swarm as a multiagent dynamical system yields distributed rendezvous, reconnaissance, and search behaviors with convergence guarantees, including operation in unknown or confined environments.
Related publications: MECC 2025, IEEE/CAA JAS 2025.
Long-term autonomous missions
Sustained autonomy over hours or days requires reasoning at multiple timescales. Inspired by Dual Process Theory (DPT) from cognitive science — fast, reactive decision-making paired with slow, deliberative planning — we develop layered decision architectures for agents that must act reliably over long-horizon missions.
Tether modeling
Tethered multirotor UAVs (TMUAVs) trade some mobility for effectively unlimited flight time and a secure, high-bandwidth data link, but the tether’s dynamics strongly shape vehicle stability and control. We model the tether — its sag, tension, and coupling to the airframe — to enable accurate simulation and robust control design for tethered and retractable-tether platforms.
Related publications: Dynamics 2025.
Hardware
Swarm system using Thymio Wireless
We validate swarm-intelligence and PSO algorithms on physical multi-robot testbeds built from Thymio wireless robots, closing the gap between numerical study and real hardware that is subject to limited sensing, communication, and energy.
Related publications: MECC 2025, IEEE/CAA JAS 2025.
Battery-degradation–aware long-term agent
Battery capacity fades with use, changing what a long-duration mission can accomplish. We build hardware agents whose planning and control explicitly account for battery degradation, sustaining continuous field operation — such as long-term monitoring — as the onboard energy budget evolves.
Tethered MUAV & retractable TMUAV
We develop tethered multirotor UAV platforms, including retractable-tether systems, that combine the endurance and bandwidth of a physical tether with the agility of a multirotor, together with the robust control frameworks required to fly them reliably.
Related publications: Dynamics 2025.
Human-mountable fixed-wing UAV launcher
We design a flywheel-based, human-mountable launcher that stores and releases the energy needed to hand-launch a fixed-wing UAV, enabling rapid field deployment without a runway or fixed catapult.