On March 13, 2025, the 74th Zhi Xin Forum was held in Lecture Hall 117 at the Zhi Xin Building, which was jointly organized by the College of Electronic and Information Engineering and Shanghai Institute of Intelligent Science and Technology of Tongji University. Prof. Youmin Zhang from Concordia University, Canada, was invited to give a lecture on “Challenges and Technologies on Safety and Security (S&S) Issues in Low-Altitude and Low-Carbon Economic Environments”, which was moderated by Prof. Hao Zhang.
First, Professor Zhang introduced the development history of fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) and fault tolerance control (FTC), and emphasized the importance of FDD and FTC technologies in ensuring system safety through the 2019 Boeing 737MAX8 aircraft accident case. He then focused on the current background of the rapidly developing low-altitude economy and low-carbon economy, and deeply discussed the key technical challenges of autonomous unmanned systems (USs) in the low-altitude environment, as well as the autonomous integration and operation of renewable energy (wind, solar, etc.) under the framework of smart grids. System reliability and operation safety and security (S&S) are the key technologies for the safe and effective operation and development of new autonomous systems. Then, as part two of the report, he describes some of the new developments and current research work his team is working on for Autonomous Unmanned Systems (USs) and Smart Grid (SGs). In particular, he presented new developments in autonomous control, FDD, FTC, and fault/attack tolerant Collaborative control (FTCC) technologies from autonomous USs and SGs for autonomous, safe and secure operations and applications for forest fire and smart city monitoring and detection missions in response to physical failures/damage and cyber-attacks.
After the report, Prof. Youmin Zhang had a cordial exchange and discussion with the participating teachers and students, and he also encouraged them to actively broaden their horizons, explore, discover and solve new scientific problems based on his own experience. This report further expanded the vision of our teachers and students and enhanced their understanding and knowledge of S&S challenges and technologies in low-altitude and low-carbon economic environments.
