During my NASA internship, I worked with a dedicated six-member team to design AEGIS, an innovative UAV-based escort system designed to enhance personal safety in urban environments. Our project focuses on creating autonomous escort drones that can follow people in risky situations to deter threats and notify authorities if needed. Our design include features like smart path-planning, sensor fusion (using cameras that see normal, infrared, and thermal), and voice command recognition. We also researched FAA drone regulations and set up a plan for rolling out this system safely and legally. Together we presented the final technical report and capstone presentation to NASA’s Aviation Systems Division. Special thanks to my amazing mentors, Steven Beard and Haroon Khan, for their patient guidance, fantastic insights, and encouragement throughout the project. Also, big thanks to Shannon Zelinski for providing us the incredible opportunity and support, and to Jonas Jonsson for sharing his expertise on drone technology. Finally, grateful to everyone at NASA’s Aviation Systems Division for making this internship an unforgettable experience.

Here is the link to the technical report