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PolyU Hosts Second Research Workshop on Unmanned Autonomous Systems, Fostering Global Collaboration and Knowledge Transfer

The Research Centre for Unmanned Autonomous Systems (RCUAS) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) successfully hosted its 2nd Research Workshop of RCUAS on 7 May 2026 at PolyU campus, bringing together leading scholars, industry experts, and students to explore the future of intelligent autonomous technologies. The event showcased PolyU’s growing leadership in unmanned autonomous systems, serving a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration across academia and industry. Participants engaged in lively discussions on autonomous systems, embodied intelligence, trustworthy AI, robotics, and applications to the low-altitude economy.   Morning session The workshop was opened with the opening remarks by Professor Chih-Yung Wen, Director of RCUAS and Chair Professor of Aeronautical Engineering at the Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering (AAE). He highlighted the critical role of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing cutting-edge research that addresses major societal and industrial needs. The morning session featured a series of talks addressing cutting-edge research challenges in robotics and intelligent systems.  Professor Boyu Zhou from the Southern University of Science and Technology shared recent progress in efficient active perception and mobile manipulation, while Professor Chen Sun from The University of Hong Kong spoke on trustworthy driving intelligence, focusing on the challenges of generalization, safety, and deployment in autonomous driving systems.  Dr Xiaofei Li, CEO of Simple AI Technology, explored the rapid rise of embodied intelligence and offered perspectives on the next stage of AI development.  Mr Leo LIU, CTO of Gammon Construction Limited, examined the transformative potential of autonomous systems in the construction sector, along with the practical challenges of industry integration. A particularly engaging open discussion session before lunch brought together professors and industry leaders to reflect on how academia can build distinctive research strengths amid the rapid advancement of industrial AI and autonomous technologies.    Afternoon Session: The afternoon session continued with talks highlighting breakthroughs in robust autonomous driving, SLAM technologies, digital twins, and drone applications.  Professor Chengzhong Xu, IEEE Fellow and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of Macau, shared research on robust autonomous driving in mixed traffic environments. Dr Jianhao Jiao from PolyU presented his insights on lifelong spatial memory and navigation for legged robots through advanced SLAM techniques. Mr Tony Chan from Esri China (Hong Kong) Limited introduced the role of GIS and living digital twin technologies in supporting the development of the low-altitude economy. Mr Dylan Tyack, Founder and Managing Director of Drone Solutions Asia, discussed practical drone operations and the exciting opportunities they present for Hong Kong’s low-altitude economy.   Demo Session & Poster Session: Beyond the presentations, the workshop featured demonstration sessions, poster presentations of RCUAS’s research outputs, and interactive exchanges, creating valuable opportunities for participants to connect, share ideas, and spark new collaborations.   Through this successful event, RCUAS once again demonstrated its dedication to fostering world-class interdisciplinary research and strengthening ties between universities and industry. By bridging academic excellence with practical application, PolyU continues to drive innovation in intelligent autonomous technologies and support their transformative impact across transportation, robotics, urban infrastructure and aerospace engineering.    

A Great Success at IEEE ITSC 2025: The 4th Workshop on Intelligent Vehicle Meets Urban

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA – November 18, 2025 – The 4th Workshop on Intelligent Vehicle Meets Urban: Safe And Certifiable Navigation And Control was successfully held at the Star Grand, Broadbeach, Gold Coast, Australia, in conjunction with the IEEE ITSC 2025 conference. The event, hosted by Prof. Weisong Wen from the Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering and the Research Centre for Unmanned Autonomous Systems, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, convened leading experts and researchers to address the critical challenges of ensuring safe, robust, and certifiable autonomous navigation in complex urban environments.   The workshop featured a series of high-impact presentations by renowned experts, whose contributions steered discussions on cutting-edge solutions for urban autonomy: Prof. Li-Ta Hsu (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University) Prof. Timothy D Barfoot (University of Toronto) Prof. Fu Zhang (The University of Hong Kong) Prof. Yi Zhou (Hunan University, China) Dr. Mao Shan (The University of Sydney) Prof. Shreyas Kousik (Georgia Institute of Technology)   Their talks covered essential topics from high-precision multi-sensor fusion and radar-based navigation to formal safety methods and LiDAR-centric systems for drones.   A key highlight of the event was the dynamic poster session. Colleagues from our research group and Mr Zhenxing Ming from the University of Sydney presented their latest findings, contributing significantly to the dialogue on next-generation intelligent vehicles. Their exhibited works covered areas such as robust localization, V2X data fusion, and integrity monitoring for autonomous navigation.   The 4th Workshop on Intelligent Vehicle Meets Urban was a resounding success, fostering collaboration and setting new directions for research in safe and certifiable autonomous systems. The organizing committee extends its sincere gratitude to all invited speakers, poster presenters, and attendees for their active participation.   For the detailed schedule, invited speaker abstracts, and information on accepted posters and videos, please visit the official workshop page: here.

RCUAS Named Strategic Partner for the Asian Business Schools International Regatta 2025

RCUAS played a pivotal role as a Strategic Partner in the Asian Business Schools International Regatta 2025, reaffirming its commitment to advancing intelligent autonomous systems and promoting their real-world applications in complex operational environments. Held in Hong Kong, the regatta brought together alumni teams from leading Asian business schools for a premium sailing competition that integrates sportsmanship, leadership, and innovation. As a strategic partner, RCUAS made significant contributions by providing professional technical expertise and academic support in unmanned and autonomous systems, helping to ensure the event’s safe, efficient, and orderly execution. A major highlight of RCUAS’s involvement was its support for the introduction of an intelligent aerial escort system, deployed for the first time to enhance participant safety.The escort mission was carried out using the “Orange Flying Hero” YUNTU-R7 PRO intelligent flying lifebuoy, developed by Sichuan Yuntu Shijing Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. RCUAS worked in close coordination with the organzing committee throughout the flight operations, providing technical guidance and logistical support to ensure the safe and reliable operation of the unmanned aerial system. Featuring an integrated structural design, the intelligent flying lifebuoy supports one-click takeoff, multiple water takeoffs, and high-speed flight. With strong wind-resistance and waterproof capabilities, it is able to perform rescue operations even under rainy conditions. Equipped with a dual-sensor gimbal combining visible-light and infrared night-vision cameras, as well as AI-assisted navigation, the system enables all-weather, round-the-clock maritime rescue response, offering robust emergency protection for large-scale water sports events. More details about this event can be found in the news  

PolyU Hosts Inaugural Research Workshop on Unmanned Autonomous Systems, Fostering Global Collaboration and Innovation

The Research Centre for Unmanned Autonomous Systems (RCUAS) and the Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering (AAE) hosted the 1st Research Workshop of the Research Centre for Unmanned Autonomous Systems on 24 June 2025, bringing together leading experts, scholars, and industry collaborators from Hong Kong and around the world. The full-day workshop, held on PolyU campus and broadcast online, focused on cutting-edge topics in the field of unmanned autonomous systems, including perception and navigation, multi-robot systems, embodied intelligence, large language models, and trustworthy AI. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on the latest research progress, technological breakthroughs, and real-world applications.   Morning session The workshop began with Prof. Wen Chih-Yung, Director of RCUAS, welcoming all participants. He highlighted the RCUAS’s mission to drive innovation in unmanned systems through interdisciplinary research and international collaboration. Prof. Wen also outlined key achievements of RCUAS and encouraged attendees to actively exchange ideas to shape the future of trustworthy autonomous technologies. Prof. Zhou Yi (Professor at School of Robotics, Hunan University (HNU)) presented how neuromorphic event-based vision enables safer and faster mobile robots through high-speed, low-latency perception. Prof. Wang Bing (Assistant Professor at AAE, PolyU) introduced Ocean Spatial Intelligence, showcasing multi-modal underwater scene modeling and uncertainty-aware SLAM for robust marine robotics. Mr Chan Yin Yuen, on behalf of Prof. Ng Kam Hung (Associate Professor at AAE, PolyU), shared an automated UAV-based aircraft inspection system combining 3D LiDAR SLAM and deep learning for precise defect detection. Prof. Huang Hailong (Assistant Professor at AAE, PolyU) discussed advanced algorithms for fast and safe UAV flight using convexification techniques. Dr Li Boyang (Lecturer in Aerospace Systems Engineering at the School of Engineering, University of Newcastle) presented on integrating UAS into teaching and research in Australia and offered a comparative view on engineering education.   Afternoon Session: The afternoon session continued to showcase cutting-edge research and international collaboration in the field of unmanned systems. Dr Hu Wenbo, on behalf of Prof. Dong You (Associate Professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, PolyU), began the session by introducing an AI-assisted UAV system for bridge defect detection and digital perception, demonstrating lightweight crack segmentation and advanced point cloud processing validated through real-world deployments. Prof. Wang Chaoqun (Professor with the School of Control Science and Engineering, Shandong University) shared insights on embodied perception and navigation, highlighting how intelligent interaction with complex environments advances autonomous capabilities. Dr Chu Xiangyu (Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)) presented innovative morphological designs and motor intelligence strategies to achieve embodied agility in autonomous systems, with applications ranging from hopping robots to transformable platforms for diverse terrain. After a short break, Dr Tim Pfeifer from Siemens AG discussed industrial indoor localization, bridging practical deployment and academic research while exploring the potential of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and 5G for large-scale, real-time tracking. The workshop concluded with an open discussion moderated through key issues on ensuring trustworthy AI and robust autonomy, drawing connections across the day’s presentations. Prof. Wen Weisong (Assistant Professor at AAE, PolyU) delivered a closing statement, thanking all speakers and participants for contributing to a fruitful exchange of ideas and future directions for unmanned autonomous systems.   The First Research Workshop for RCUAS successfully fostered knowledge exchange and collaboration, bringing together experts, young scholars, and industry partners to explore the future of trustworthy and innovative unmanned autonomous systems.