Nikolay Lyan

MSc Aerospace EngineerRL Control SystemsUAV AutonomyDigital Twins

Nikolay Lyan

Nikolay Lyan

MSc Aerospace Engineer

AI and UAV engineer specializing in autonomous control, navigation, and intelligent decision-making. Experienced in reinforcement learning, sensor fusion, and end-to-end UAV design. Develops onboard and ground software for UAV control and telemetry. Proficient in Python, C/C++, and MATLAB.

Publications

Reinforcement-Learning Control of a Hybrid Airship Using a High-Fidelity Digital Twin

Conference paperAIAA SciTech 2026·January 2026

DOI 10.2514/6.2026-2401

A reproducible high-fidelity digital twin is developed for a custom hybrid airship, combining 6-DoF rigid-body dynamics with hull aerodynamics, rotor thrust, and actuator dynamics. Within this virtual testbed, a reinforcement-learning autopilot is trained to steer from arbitrary initial conditions to specified waypoints. Comparative experiments show <3.5 m RMS position-tracking error across multiple unseen missions.

AI-Based Control of a Novel Airfoil-Shaped Quadrotor Hybrid Airship

Conference paperAIAA SciTech 2024·January 2024

DOI 10.2514/6.2024-0281

Control of an airfoil-shaped hybrid quad-airship using a physics-based mathematical model coupled with a neural network controller. The configuration uses tilting rotors for thrust and horizontal stabilizers for pitch control, with training data generated in simulation. The objective is robust, adaptable control that improves maneuverability, stability, and energy efficiency.

An Explorer Microsatellite for Assessing Viability of Genetically Manipulated Lichen on Apophis

Technical reportResearchGate·July 2021

ResearchGate

Engineering the space-resilient lichen Xanthoria elegans to overexpress genes involved in UV-screening pigment biosynthesis — a mechanism linked to radiation tolerance. Engineered samples are intended to be tested in situ on a low-cost microsatellite during Apophis' 2029 near-Earth passage, comparing viability and photosynthetic performance against wild-type.

Education

MSc
Aeronautical & Astronautical EngineeringIstanbul Technical University·2022 — 2025
BSc
Astronautical EngineeringIstanbul Technical University·2016 — 2022