Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Haotian Hang is a rising researcher at the intersection of bio-inspired robotics and fluid dynamics, whose work is redefining how autonomous vehicles navigate complex aquatic environments. His key research areas include underwater navigation, flow sensing, and flapping-wing aerodynamics. Hang’s major contributions lie in demonstrating that flow gradient sensing—inspired by aquatic animals—is essential for reinforcement learning-based autonomous underwater navigation, a breakthrough that addresses the critical challenge of operating without GPS or pre-mapped currents. His 2025 paper on this topic has already garnered 12 citations, signaling its immediate impact. Additionally, his 2023 study on flow-current trail-tracking strategies (8 citations) reveals how simple sensory feedback can guide organisms to hydrodynamic trail sources, offering a blueprint for vision-free robotic tracking. In parallel, Hang’s work on flapping-wing micro-air vehicles (MAVs) explores lift generation through passive rotating wings and leading-edge vortex circulation, with two 2023 papers (7 and 5 citations) advancing the design of mechanically simpler, insect-inspired MAVs. By bridging biological sensing principles with engineering applications, Hang is paving the way for more resilient, energy-efficient autonomous systems in both air and water.