FLORIDA CAMPUS
GAME CHANGING DRONES Enhance Airport Safety Airports around the world face a persistent challenge: reducing wildlife strikes that endanger planes and animals alike. Conventional methods rely on on-the-ground monitoring and physical checks. Now, a group of aviation graduate students from Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus has created an innovative alternative — drones equipped with high-tech sensors. Their research, which won first place at the Airport Cooperative Research Program’s Student Research Design Competition, demonstrated how uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) make wildlife monitoring safer, faster and more effective. “Drones make the entire process of wildlife data collection not only more thorough but also much safer for the experts involved,” said Anna Golendukhina (’24), one of the lead researchers. “We strongly believe the safe application of UAS technologies could be a game-changer — improving safety, saving money and giving airport operators a clearer picture of how wildlife interacts with airport environments.”
Equipped with thermal infrared cameras and AI-guided tracking systems, these drones identify animal species, detect movement patterns and predict potential risks with reliability and accuracy. By replacing physical inspections with automated data collection, airports using these game-changing drones can proactively adjust landscapes, relocate animals humanely and prevent collisions. Beyond their competition win, the team said they hope that their research will be embraced by major airports worldwide, revolutionizing wildlife management and aviation safety.
Charting Her Own Course to Success Anjelysa Oleszewski (’26) is shaping her future in aviation safety by blending personal ambition with her family’s legacy at Embry-Riddle. With both parents as alumni, she grew up immersed in aviation, which led to her fascination with accident investigations. My grandfather introduced me to a Smithsonian Channel show about aircraft accidents. I was identifying the probable cause before they revealed it, and that’s when I knew this could be my career!” Anjelysa Oleszewski ’26 Aerospace & Occupational Safety Pursuing a B.S. in Aerospace and Occupational Safety (now the B.S. in Aviation and Aerospace Safety), she’s gained hands-on experience through an FAA internship, contributing to research in commercial space transportation. Her work impressed industry leaders, reinforcing her goal of joining the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Beyond academics, she leads new student orientation, contributes to The Avion newspaper and works to build a professional network — determined to leave her own mark in aviation safety.
SEEING THE UNSEEN
The use of infrared cameras allowed the team to observe animals at night, identify animals that don’t travel in groups and find birds that fly at higher altitudes — tasks that are much more difficult with conventional methods.
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