Kong Zhang

University College Cork, Northeastern University

Papers

Total Citations

100

H-Index

About

Kong Zhang is a leading researcher at the intersection of robotics, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and infrastructure inspection, with a growing focus on sustainable energy systems. His primary contributions lie in developing autonomous robotic solutions for inspecting critical infrastructure in challenging environments. Zhang’s seminal 2024 review on using multi-rotor UAVs for floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) has garnered 52 citations, highlighting the critical need for cost-effective inspection methods in harsh offshore conditions, where O&M costs exceed 30% of lifecycle expenses. He has also advanced underground structure safety, with his 2023 review on UAV navigation in tunnels and deteriorating infrastructure (41 citations) addressing crack detection and water leakage. Demonstrating the societal impact of his work, Zhang developed the “Smart Seeing Eye Dog” wheeled assistive robot (2021), a project aimed at aiding the 12 million visually impaired Americans. By blending rigorous literature analysis with practical robotic design, Zhang’s research directly tackles real-world challenges—from renewable energy maintenance to public safety and accessibility—establishing him as a versatile innovator in field robotics and autonomous systems.