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About

Shaochang Tan is a leading researcher in aerial-aquatic robotics and multi-rotor UAV simulation, whose work pushes the boundaries of autonomous systems operating across extreme environments. His most impactful contribution is the development of a self-contained aerial-aquatic hitchhiking robot capable of seamlessly crossing the air-water boundary—a breakthrough for long-term environmental monitoring, cross-medium operations, and marine life surveys. This work, published in 2022, has already garnered 197 citations, reflecting its significance in enabling robots to transition between vastly different physical domains. Tan is also the creator of XTDrone, a highly customizable multi-rotor UAV simulation platform built on ROS, Gazebo, and PX4. With 77 citations, XTDrone has become a vital tool for researchers and engineers, integrating dynamic models, sensor models, control algorithms, and 3D scenes to support multi-UAV coordination and other robotic systems. His subsequent work on hierarchical multi-UAV coordination further extends this platform’s utility. Tan’s innovations not only advance fundamental robotics research but also provide practical, open-source tools that accelerate development in aerial and aquatic autonomy.