Akihiro Ohkura

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Akihiro Ohkura is a pioneering researcher in the field of autonomous micro aerial vehicles, with a particular focus on the navigation and control of small, lightweight helicopters. His most-cited work, "Navigation of Small and Lightweight Helicopter" (2005, 21 citations), introduced a groundbreaking battery-powered helicopter weighing just 200 grams with a 35 cm rotor diameter. This study demonstrated autonomous hovering flight near walls using infrared range finders, marking a significant early step in indoor drone navigation. Ohkura's contributions have been instrumental in advancing the miniaturization and autonomous capabilities of unmanned aerial systems, enabling safer and more precise flight in confined spaces. His work laid foundational principles for modern micro-drones used in inspection, search-and-rescue, and environmental monitoring. With a career focused on pushing the boundaries of what small aerial platforms can achieve autonomously, Ohkura remains a respected figure in robotics and aerial vehicle research, inspiring new generations of engineers to explore the challenges of lightweight, intelligent flight systems.