In 2025, students and faculty earned national recognition, advanced NASA- and DARPA-supported research, and translated innovation into real-world solutions, from hydrogen-powered VTOL design and space-habitat systems to medical drone delivery in remote communities.
With major faculty honors, student achievement, and the Glenn L. Martin Wind Tunnel designated a Vertical Flight Heritage Site, the year reflects both a legacy of excellence and a future in motion.
These highlights represent just a few of the many achievements that defined UMD Aerospace in 2025.
Both graduate and undergraduate teams earned top honors in the 2025 Vertical Flight Society Student Design Competition for advancing zero-emission vertical flight. Read more.
Two student-led UMD teams earned selection for NASA’s M2M X-Hab Challenge, tackling critical challenges in spacesuit life support and planetary habitats. Read more.
Professor David Akin received the 2025 Technical Excellence Award from the International Conference on Environmental Systems for a lifetime of contributions advancing technologies that make human life in space possible. Read more.
Through DARPA’s Triage Challenge, UMD’s RoboScout team is refining how autonomous robots and humans work together to improve emergency response. Read more.
UMD President and Glenn L. Martin Professor of Aerospace Engineering Darryll J. Pines was named a 2025 NAI Fellow for advancing aerospace technologies from lab to application. Read more.
The Vertical Flight Society designation recognizes the Glenn L. Martin Wind Tunnel’s many contributions to the evolution of vertical flight. Read more.
