معرفی
Frank Buysschaert is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering within the Faculty of Engineering Technology at KU Leuven, based at the Bruges Campus. He heads the Subdivision M-Group Aeronautics, Applied Mechanics and Energy Conversion and serves as contact person for the Applied Mechanics and Energy conversion (TME) unit. He also holds senior academic positions on the Faculty of Engineering Technology Council and Mechanical Engineering Department Council.
His research spans renewable energy systems with emphasis on ocean energy conversion, hydrogen fuel cell technology, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Current projects integrate aerodynamics, fluid dynamics, and energy conversion to develop sustainable solutions for defense, offshore wind, and aerospace applications. Key focus areas include hybrid drone systems, PEM fuel cell optimization, and rim-driven thruster hydrodynamics.
Recent publications reveal strong interdisciplinary trends connecting hydrogen-powered UAVs, marine propulsion systems, and military water treatment. His work bridges fundamental material science (e.g., proton exchange membrane degradation) with applied engineering (e.g., adjoint-based duct optimization), demonstrating consistent growth in energy conversion and drone technology research.
Dr. Buysschaert actively secures major research funding as promotor or co-promotor, with current projects including:
- Development of a Hybrid Fixed-Wing and Hover Drone System for Long-Range Offshore Wind Inspection (2025-2029)
- Hydrogen technology for defense energy supply (2022-2026)
- Performance prediction of fuel cells in UAVs under variable weather (2024-2028)
He operates within KU Leuven's M-Group specializing in aeronautics and energy conversion, utilizing advanced facilities like the tomographic Particle Image Velocimetry system. His team collaborates on drone inspection systems, hydrogen propulsion, and marine energy conversion with strong industry and defense sector partnerships.
