Ethan Fulcher

Ethan Fulcher is a graduate student in mechanical engineering designing large-scale flapping platforms using bio-inspired flight mechanics. Traditional flapping robots face fundamental challenges: scaling existing designs to larger wingspans while maintaining controllability requires integrating complex aerodynamics, mechanical systems, and control strategies simultaneously. Ethan has developed MATLAB models for aerodynamic loading and powertrain dynamics that guide the design of a five-meter wingspan platform. As a MathWorks Fellow, Ethan will leverage MATLAB’s Simscape Multibody Toolbox to create a comprehensive simulation environment for the complete robot dynamics during flight. He will implement model predictive control algorithms that account for wing force uncertainty and body oscillations, tuning the controller in simulation with perfect state estimation before deploying to physical hardware. This digital twin approach will significantly reduce the likelihood of failures during field testing. Ethan’s work could demonstrate the feasibility of large-scale flapping flight and enable new applications in environmental monitoring.