People
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Ahmed Aboelezz, PhD
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR & LAB DIRECTOR
Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maine and founder of the Aerosystems Dynamics Laboratory. His research bridges experimental aerodynamics and high-fidelity computational modeling to study flight systems in unconventional and challenging environments — focusing on bio-inspired flight and UAV systems, intrinsically safe drone propulsion for hazardous environments, and advanced flow control. He holds US Patent US20240326989A1 for a bio-inspired aircraft surface coloration system. Before joining UMaine in August 2024, he conducted doctoral research at New Mexico Tech (funded by NIOSH and the Alpha Foundation) and contributed to projects funded by SCEYE and NASA (MSGC).
Applied aerodynamics
Bio-inspired flight
UAV systems
Flight dynamics
Wind energy
ahmed.aboelezz@maine.edu
207.581.4148
Room 228, Ferland EEDC
EDUCATION
2024 PhD, Mechanical Engineering — New Mexico Tech
2023 PhD, Aerospace Engineering — Cairo University
2016 M.S., Aerospace Engineering — Cairo University
2012 M.Eng., Renewable Energy — Ain Shams University
2010 B.S., Aeronautical Engineering — IAET, Egypt
AFFILIATIONS & SERVICE
AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Technical Committee (APATC) — Member
Member — AIAA · ASME
Teaching: Dynamics & Control · Flight Mechanics
Reviewer — J. Spacecraft & Rockets, The Aeronautical Journal, Ocean Engineering, Drones, Aerospace, Dynamical & Control Systems
PH.D. CANDIDATES
Yousef Meligy
PH.D. CANDIDATE
His research focuses on experimental aerodynamics, particularly wind tunnel testing and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) to study airflow behavior around aerodynamic bodies and propulsion systems. he is also interested in designing and building unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and exploring the use of artificial intelligence in aerospace and fluid dynamics applications. Outside of research, he enjoys drawing and hiking.
MASTER’S CANDIDATES
Beshoy Azab
M.S. CANDIDATE
He is currently developing a bench-top Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) simulation framework designed to enable physics-consistent, risk-free UAV testing. By mounting a drone to a 3-DOF attitude test rig, his framework measures real-time thrust and uses system identification to actively compensate for the rig’s physical inertia. This allows for the reconstruction of true, free-flight 3D trajectories using an Extended Kalman Filter. Encapsulated in a ROS 2 environment and connected to Gazebo, this setup allows for full flight tests in harsher environments from the safety of the lab. This project sits at the intersection of my interests in aerospace engineering and aerial robotics. Driven by fascination, this work pushes the boundaries of how we validate autonomous flight before it ever leaves the ground.
Dylan Freeman
M.S. CANDIDATE
Dylan Freeman is a mechanical engineering graduate student at the University of Maine, where he is pursuing a Master’s degree with a concentration in aerospace engineering. After earning his Bachelor of Science from UMaine in 2024, he transitioned directly into his graduate studies at the same institution. Currently, Dylan is a graduate research assistant in the Aerospace Dynamics Laboratory (ADL), where his research focuses on axial fan design, flight dynamics, and experimental aerodynamics. After graduation, he intends to pursue a career in the aerospace industry. Outside of the lab, he enjoys hiking, fishing, and golf.
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHERS
Noah Roos
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER
Noah’s research focuses on implementing an off-surface flow visualization system using fog and laser sheets for airfoil testing. He is assisting the implementation of a particle image velocimetry (PIV) system in ADL’s subsonic wind tunnel. His current project focuses on designing and constructing a background oriented schlieren (BOS) system for visualizing exhaust plumes in micro turbine jet engines, primarily used in UAVs. In his time outside ADL, he enjoys reading, walking, biking, and playing soccer.
Ethan Pinette
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER
Ethan is an undergraduate researcher at ADL studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maine. Currently, he is working with two other researchers to develop an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for the Forestry department that will be used to monitor forests. His role involves improving the efficiency of the UAV by designing and testing shrouds to improve the thrust produced from the motors and propellers. In his spare time, he enjoys woodworking and pickleball.
Henry Loan-Baker
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER
Henry is a research assistant in the Mechanical Engineering department at the University of Maine working with Dr. Ahmed Aboelezz on a NASA-funded project. The project focuses on developing a Background-Oriented Schlieren (BOS) imaging system to study exhaust plumes from small jet engines used in drones. His role involves building and testing the hardware setup, writing the image processing software, and developing the pipeline that converts raw camera images into quantitative measurements of the exhaust plume. Outside the lab I enjoy mountain biking.
Kian dos Santos
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER
Kian dos Santos is an undergraduate researcher at ADL and is studying Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Renewable Energy Engineering at the University of Maine. I’m currently working with Ethan and Jude to build a general-use drone for the Forestry department at the school, where it would be used for scanning and maintenance. My role is to build the drone and fly it around gathering test data to ensure the UAV is as efficient as possible. Outside of ADL, I enjoy playing soccer and spending time with friends and family, and fashion.
Jude Morrison
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER
Jude is an undergraduate researcher studying mechanical engineering at the University of Maine. He is currently working on UAV propeller design and testing, with a focus on efficiency. Outside of work, his hobbies include fishing, hiking, and playing violin.
HIGHSCHOOL RESEARCHERS
Asa Frost
HIGHSCHOOL RESEARCHERS
Asa is a high school intern at ADL through the MSGC’s MERITS program. He is working with Camren on a project that involves the design, manufacturing, and testing pressure sensitive paint as well as the development of the processing software that converts the raw video into usable pressure data. He is also working on a project that test the effects of varying color patterns on the aerodynamics of cycling helmets. In his free time he enjoys creative coding and cats.
Camren Mumme
HIGHSCHOOL RESEARCHERS
From Sipayik, Maine, Camren is a high school research intern at ADL through the Maine Space Grant Consortium’s MERITS program. Together with Asa, he is involved in the design, manufacture, and testing of a pressure sensitive paint for surface flow visualization. Additional projects include aerodynamic cycling helmet characterization, and evaluating the effects of vibrating wing flaps. In his free time, he enjoys aviation, fishing, and hunting.
ALUMNI
Ata Turgut
M.S. GRADUATED
Ata Turgut is a mechanical engineer whose research focuses on the aerodynamic shape optimization of bladeless drone thrusters. His work integrates computational fluid dynamics (CFD) automation, surrogate modeling, and AI-driven active learning frameworks to accelerate design optimization and validate performance through physical testing. He is deeply interested in intelligent systems, specifically applying artificial intelligence and machine learning directly to physical hardware and complex engineering design problems. Outside the lab, Ata is a former NCAA Division 1 and professional basketball player who still enjoys competing in local amateur leagues and staying active.