University of Utah

The University of Utah has two programs focused on drones, both founded in 2014. The DARC Lab, and the honors course, Drones and Society

DARC Lab
The first is a sub-group of the mechanical engineering department called the DARC Lab. It was founded in July 2014 by Dr. Kam K. Leang. DARC stands for design, automation, robotics, and control. The DARC lab is a 1200 sq. ft. facility on the main campus of the University of Utah. The lab contains state-of the-art equipment for research on design, modeling, and control of electroactive materials include piezoelectric ceramics, electroactive polymers, shape memory alloys, and a host of other materials that respond to electrical signals. More recently, the DARC lab has been researching and developing unmanned aerial video systems aided by micro- and nano-scale positioning systems (e.g., nanopositioners), scanning probe microscopes, and intelligent and bio-inspired autonomous systems. One of the more significant programs of the DARC Lab is the Autonomous Broad Spectrum Environmental Sentinels project. The goal of the program is to develop hover-capable, flying robots with chemical sensing units. The goal is to detect and localize chemical threats in vapor form using onboard sensors. This technology will be very helpful for soldiers in the field.

DARC Lab Media

Drones and Society
The second is a collaborative, student-driven course called Drones and Society. Its devoted to the aggregation and exploration of drones and emerging drone innovation. As part of a two-part course at The University of Utah, students from the Honors College and Department of Communication team up to discuss salient drone news, both foreign and domestic. The first semester is devoted to exploring the ethical and legal implications of drone technology. Students compile their research into a collaborative website called DronesandSociety.com. Students also receive hobby-grade quadcopters to better familiarize themselves with civilian drone use. During the second semester students investigate the posibilitiess of domestic drone use and build their own quadcopters.