October 16 seminar: Rafael Fierro

October 16, 2026

Beyond Rigid Bodies Cooperative Aerial Robotics with Deformable Objects

Rafael Fierro,UNM

3:00 pm, UNM Centennial Engineering Center, Room 1026
Online Guests: Contact bidram@unm.edu for a Zoom link

Abstract: The magic carpet in Broadway's Aladdin captures our imagination with its ability to fly, gracefully change shape, and carry its passengers through the air. But what if we could turn a little of that magic into robotic reality? Imagine teams of aerial robots working together to transport flexible materials, reshape objects in midair, or create flying surfaces that adapt to their environment. Such capabilities could open new possibilities in autonomous construction, aerial object capture, environmental monitoring, and space robotics. In this seminar, I will present recent advances in aerial manipulation of deformable objects, highlighting two robotic systems developed through our collaborative research. The first, AirBender, demonstrates how two quadrotors can cooperatively transport a flexible object while adapting to unknown elastic forces. The second, FlySurf, takes us a step closer to the vision of a flying carpet: a robotic surface supported by multiple drones that can actively change its shape while moving through three-dimensional space. Through experimental demonstrations, I will illustrate how coordinated aerial robots can transform passive flexible materials into actively controlled robotic structures. I will also discuss the challenges and opportunities of moving beyond traditional rigid-body manipulation toward a new generation of adaptable, shape-changing aerial robotic systems where a touch of imagination meets the science of robotics and control.

Bio: Dr. Rafael Fierro is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of New Mexico (UNM), where he directs the Multi-Agent, Robotics, and Heterogeneous Systems (MARHES) Laboratory and the AFRL-UNM Agile Manufacturing Laboratory. His research focuses on multi-robot coordination, autonomous aerial systems, and advanced robotic manipulation, with applications in cooperative robotics and on-orbit servicing and assembly. His work emphasizes the development of intelligent, adaptive, and cooperative robotic systems capable of operating in complex and uncertain environments. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL), Department of Energy (DOE), and Sandia National Laboratories. He is a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award and a Fulbright Scholarship.