Robots, Drones, and AI – Oh my! Emerging Aerospace in the Age of Disruption

Dr. Jamey Jacob

Williams Chair in Energy Technology and Regents Professor, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering and Executive Director of the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education at Oklahoma State University

Director of the Counter-UAS Center of Excellence

Abstract:

The future is now. As technology continues to evolve at an ever increasing pace, the impact on emerging aerospace technology is transforming how we move people and goods, respond to emergencies, explore space, and address challenges once thought impossible. Advances in robotics, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, and uncrewed aircraft are reshaping industries while creating new opportunities, as well as new questions, for us and society.

This talk explores how these disruptive technologies are converging to redefine aviation and aerospace in Oklahoma, from autonomous drones and advanced air mobility to space systems and AI-enabled decision making. Through real-world examples, participants will gain insight into the technologies driving this transformation, the challenges of safely integrating them into everyday life, and what these changes mean for the future of work, transportation, national security, and scientific discovery.

Bio: 

Jamey D. Jacob is the Williams Chair in Energy Technology and Regents Professor in the School Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering and Executive Director of the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education at Oklahoma State University, and Director of the Counter-UAS Center of Excellence. He received his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 1990 and his M.S and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California at Berkeley in 1992 and 1995, respectively. He was a National Research Council Summer Faculty Fellow in the Air Force Research Laboratory at WPAFB and Fulbright Specialist for the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. He has served multiple governors of the State of Oklahoma on the Aerospace and Autonomous System and Advanced Mobility Councils and is the co-founder and president of the Unmanned Systems Alliance of Oklahoma, USA-OK. He is a licensed unmanned aircraft pilot and his team has developed, flown, and evaluated over 100 different unmanned and manned aircraft platforms. He has testified before and advised the United States House Committee on Science, Space and Technology in pioneering the use of aerospace technology to support both commercial activities and solving existential threats, developing novel engineered systems that bridge sky and sea, combining aerospace innovation with conservation to advance stewardship, and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.