Emre Özbek Editor

T. Hikmet Karakoc, Ph.D., graduated from Anadolu University, the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He received his M.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Yildiz Technical University. He received his Ph.D. from Anadolu University, where he started his full-time teaching and received his Full Professorship. He is currently researching at the Eskisehir Technical University. He has a wide range of research interests, including sustainable aviation, aircraft propulsion systems, insulation, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC), indoor air quality, gas turbines, cogeneration systems, renewable energy, energy economics, fuels, and combustion. He has participated in numerous industrial projects on these topics as a researcher, consultant, and project manager for over 30 projects and corporations. He also started a contest on special insulation applications among university students. He served as an Editor-in-Chief, guest editor, and editorial board member for international scientific journals. He published national and international papers in over 300 journals and 40 books. Professor Karakoc actively follows membership positions for the Chamber of Mechanical Engineers and many sectorial associations, international scientific organizations, and societies. He is an active Board of Directors member of the International Association for Green Energy. He is currently holding the presidency of the SARES organization, which is actively supporting scientists and students in the area of sustainable aviation. He also organizes four symposiums on aviation subject areas as a Founding Chair.

Emre Özbek, Ph.D., is a distinguished Full Lecturer in the Unmanned Aircraft Technology and Operations Program at Eskisehir Technical University. He holds an MSc and BSc in Aircraft Airframe and Powerplant Maintenance from the same institution and has recently completed his Ph.D. His doctoral research focused on the design and successful flight of a Rear Spar Articulated Morphing Wing UAV, a pioneering fixed-wing UAV operating without controlled surfaces. Dr.  Özbek's expertise extends to the design of various electrical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for international competitions and projects, spanning both fixed and rotary wing categories. He has led the Anatolia Aero Design UAV design team at Eskisehir Technical University for seven years, serving as team captain and chief designer. In addition to his academic pursuits, he has applied his knowledge in the industry as an aircraft engineer. He has worked remotely with Dronee, contributing to the design of vertical take-off and landing UAVs for aerial mapping. Before this, he was the chief aircraft designer of multirotor UAVs at Huma Technology. His research interests are broad and innovative, encompassing UAV design, manufacturing, structural analysis, RANS aircraft analysis, and low fidelity analysis methods such as 3D panels and vortex-lattice method. He is also deeply interested in UAV autonomous flight, alternative energy sources, fuel cell technology, sustainability in aviation, and additive manufacturing methods. His contributions to the field have been recognized with two patents, further establishing his position as a leader in UAV technology and design.