What’s it like to fly a 1903 Wright Flyer and to design drones that fly themselves? Kevin Kochersberger shared those experiences at the June 25, 2025, Science on Tap event, “From the Wright Brothers to Advanced Air Mobility: 122 Years of Flight.” He talked about his work in international education, aircraft design, and disaster response and showed off the latest in drone technology. Kochersberger also led the audience in building foam gliders for a fun flying competition and taught them the basics of how things fly. 

A large group of people listening to a discussion, led by a man holding a small foam airplane.
Kevin Kochersberger explains how aircraft design has changed in the 122 years since the Wright Brothers took their historic flight. Photo by Lauren Tucker for Virginia Tech.

    Kochersberger, an expert in autonomous systems, earned his Ph.D. from Virginia Tech in 1994. He began his academic career at the Rochester Institute of Technology in mechanical engineering, teaching and conducting research until 2006, when he moved back to Virginia Tech to continue similar work at his alma mater. Since then, he has led the Unmanned Systems Lab, working on projects ranging from nuclear material detection to launching a drone academy in Malawi.

A child prepares to throw a Styrofoam glider that he built.
Participants braved a heavy downpour and flooded floors during their test flights. Photo by Lauren Tucker for Virginia Tech.

    Kochersberger explained how aircraft design has changed since the Wright Brothers’ historic flight and how drones are now playing an important role in fields like emergency response, public safety, and telehealth. He described the African Drone and Data Academy (ADDA), a program started by Virginia Tech and now run by instructors in Malawi. It has trained about 1,200 students through in-person instruction or online programs, and 57 percent of the in-person graduates have found outstanding drone-related jobs, he said. These graduates have helped with disaster response, climate change monitoring, and smarter use of donor aid.

A Styrofoam glider floats in the air shortly after being launched by a participant.
Participants took to the skies to test their assembled gliders. Photo by Lauren Tucker for Virginia Tech.

    He also introduced new aircraft designs like the Quadfoil, which are low-cost and highly maneuverable. Kochersberger discussed how advances in battery, motor, and processor technology are powering the next phase of flight, including advanced air mobility, electric, and possibly autonomous drones. Though these aircraft face challenges like range limits and public trust, the technology is rapidly progressing, he said, and students trained on drones today may help lead the future of aviation.

Children watch as a person places cones in preparation for a distance contest.
This month's Science on Tap ended with a competition among participants to see whose Styrofoam glider flew the furthest. Photo by Lauren Tucker for Virginia Tech.

    Finally, he introduced the audience to what’s coming next: Advanced Air Mobility. These new electric flying machines, like big drones, could one day carry people and packages over short distances. Kochersberger explained that while technology is ready, we still need to work on public safety and trust. To make his Science on Tap lessons hands-on, he had everyone build their own Styrofoam gliders, ending with a fun contest to see whose could fly the farthest. His presentation showed how far we’ve come since the Wright brothers and how students today can help shape the future of flight.

    Thank you to Kevin Kochersberger for sharing his story and to Rising Silo Brewery for hosting! Science on Tap is a monthly event sponsored and supported by the Center for Communicating Science and by Virginia Tech's chapter of Sigma Xi. Our next event will be at 5:30 p.m. July 24 and will feature Prescott Vayda with a talk titled “Unwrapping Evolution: How Paleontologists Build the Tree of Life.” Don’t miss it — we'll be UNWRAPPING candy as we learn about evolution!

By Lauren Tucker, Center for Communicating Science and COMPASS Center intern