A team of University of California Irvine engineering students was honored on June 1 with a NASA Blue Skies Award for their creation of Air SHIELD, an autonomous structural health monitoring system designed to improve aircraft maintenance.
The UC Irvine team received the Best Infographic Award in NASA’s Gateway to Blue Skies Competition and was among eight national finalists who were awarded $9,000 to further research their solution. The competition invites university students nationwide to address issues in the aviation industry. Vanessa Chung, an aerospace engineering Ph.D. student and intern at Jet Zero, said the team identified challenges in current aircraft inspection processes after consulting with industry professionals. “There are structures on aircraft that are inspected only once in many years because the process requires time-consuming and challenging disassembly of the airplane’s structures,” Chung said.
Air SHIELD enables continuous real-time monitoring of aircraft parts without disassembly by placing sensors on key components. The system integrates advanced sensing technologies, physics-based simulation, and machine learning models to detect damage early. According to mechanical engineering senior Addison Rushing, “Boeing really liked our proposal. It really aligned with what they’re doing.” Rushing also said other airlines may be interested in adopting similar technology.
NASA recognized Air SHIELD for its presentation quality as well as technical innovation. “Every single judge that came by told us how excellent our infographic was,” Chung said. Mechanical and aerospace engineering senior Bryce Mankovsky added, “We have one of the most sophisticated ideas of the finalists, and we were able to simplify it so anyone can understand.”
The student team tested Air SHIELD on composite panels by simulating impact damage and tracking results through sensors. Their faculty adviser Jacqueline Huynh described their work as a robust new platform: “The work serves as not only a method to reduce costs and uncertainty for aviation maintenance but also as a future aircraft technology development enabler.”
University of California Irvine participates in NCAA Division I athletics, holds accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission, is classified for very high research activity, engages globally through collaborations and international programs, operates within the University of California system, and emphasizes inclusive excellence across research and education initiatives, according to the official website.