Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Aerial-robot Control and Perception Lab

We develop the planning, control, perception, and learning that let flying robots navigate the world, interact with it physically, and collaborate with other robots and people.

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Three Research Pillars

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Aerial Robot Agility, Intelligence and Safety

We develop fast planning and control, robust perception and estimation, learning-based navigation, and safety guarantees that let aerial robots fly aggressively and reliably in complex environments.

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Aerial Physical Intelligence

We create aerial robots that carry, manipulate, and make physical contact with the world. Our work spans cable-suspended payload transport, perching, tactile control, and physical collaboration with people.

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Multi-Robot Collaboration

We build teams of aerial robots that cooperatively transport and manipulate objects, self-assemble into modular structures, avoid each other safely, and collaborate with humans.

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Recent News

Prof. Guanrui Li Is Serving as an Associate Chair of the IEEE RAS Technical Committee on Aerial Robotics and UAVs

Prof. Guanrui Li has joined the leadership of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) Technical Committee on Aerial Robotics and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles as an Associate Chair. The technical committee brings together researchers, practitioners, students, and industry working across aerial robotics, and organizes workshops and community events at major robotics conferences such as ICRA.

Nov 1, 2026 1 min read

ACP Lab Led the Why Rust for Robotics Workshop at IROS 2026

Our lab led the full day workshop “Why Rust for Robotics: A Perspective From Industry” at IROS 2026 in Pittsburgh on September 27, 2026, with Prof. Guanrui Li serving as the lead organizer. The program featured eight invited talks, a panel discussion, live code demonstrations, and a poster session on why industry teams are adopting Rust for robotics software and what academia can learn from them. The workshop builds on the Rust for Robotics workshop that our lab led at ICRA 2025.

Sep 27, 2026 1 min read

Prof. Guanrui Li Organized the Multi-Robot Autonomy Workshop at the 2026 NSF FRR Robotics Annual Meeting

Prof. Guanrui Li organized the Multi-Robot Autonomy Workshop at the 2026 NSF FRR Robotics Annual Meeting, held on September 25 and 26 in Pittsburgh. The workshop examined the future of multi-robot autonomy through the interplay of perception, mapping, learning, and planning.

Sep 26, 2026 1 min read

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