Yongcan Cao

Yongcan Cao, Ph.D., is a Professor and Assistant Chair of Research in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), where he also directs the Unmanned Systems Laboratory (USL). His scholarship spans robotics, autonomy, AI, multi-agent systems, and human-robot interaction, with extensive editorial service for IEEE Transactions on Cybernetics, Automatica, and IEEE Control Systems Letters.

Education

• Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Utah State University, August 2010

Research Focus

Dr. Cao’s research integrates learning, autonomy, and safety to create trustworthy unmanned systems. Core themes include:

• Artificial Intelligence & Learning: reinforcement learning, human-guided learning, explainable & ethical AI.
• Networked Robotics: multi-agent coordination, distributed control, and formation algorithms for UAV swarms.
• Cyber-Physical Security: risk-aware planning, secure autonomy, and real-world validation on robotic hardware.

His lab pursues open, cost-effective platforms—exemplified by the student-led Modi-Fly drone project that won the 2022 Engineering Design Award and was later selected for the DoD NSIN Emerge Accelerator in 2024.

Scientific Awards & Honors

• Microsoft President’s Endowed Fellow
• Advancing Next-Gen Faculty Leadership Fellow
• Margie and Bill Klesse Faculty Fellow
• UTSA President's Distinguished Achievement Award in Research
• College of Engineering Excellence in Teaching Award & Service Award
• AFOSR Summer Faculty Fellowship (2016)
• National Research Council Research Associateship Award (2011)

Professional Contributions & Funding

Dr. Cao currently chairs the IEEE Technical Committee on Manufacturing Automation and Robotic Control and sits on the IoT Technical Community Steering Committee. His research is supported by AFOSR, NSF, DoD, and industry partners, enabling large-scale student engagement—over 400 visitors have toured USL, and more than 30 industrial and government collaborations have been hosted.

Laboratory & Teams

The Unmanned Systems Laboratory (USL) under his leadership advances scalable robotic platforms, trusted AI, and security for educational, economic, and societal benefit. A hallmark initiative is the Modi-Fly student group, recognized for creating one of the most cost-effective open-source drone research platforms using 3-D printed components.