Faculty Directory

Dr. Donald “Bucket” Costello is a University of Maryland (UMD) Clark School of Engineering MATRIX Lab Associate Research Professor. His research focuses on autonomous systems and how to certify them. His work is making important strides toward a broader use of autonomy.

Previously, Costello spent time as a naval aviator, engineering test pilot, and military professor at the U.S. Naval Academy. In the past, he has been stationed at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, right down the street from the MATRIX Lab. Costello received his PhD in mechanical engineering from UMD.

In addition to his numerous journal publications, his peer reviewed conference papers have been highlighted at several events, including the International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems, AIAA Science and Technology Forum, and IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

He is the recipient of the Dr. Delores M. Etter Top Scientists and Engineers of the Year Group Award for 2024 and the Individual Engineer award for 2021. Additionally, he is the recipient of the International Test and Evaluation Association 2021 Publication Award. His military decorations include individual, unit, and campaign awards that are a tribute to the men and women he has served with.

He is also a member of several organizations, including the International Test and Evaluation Association, the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, and the Society of Flight Test Engineers.

Certification and Development of Autonomous Systems for Practical Use, Uncrewed Aerial Refueling, Uncrewed Carrier Aviation

Autonomous Systems, Autonomous Functionality Certification, Test and Evaluation, Naval Aviation, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, Weapons, Robotics and Control Engineering

2021-2024: Assistant Professor, Permanent Military Professor, Weapons Robotics and Control Engineering Department, U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), Annapolis, MD (7 Sections)

2019: NC PACE Instructor, Central Texas College (CTC), Deployed on CVN-74 (1 Section)

2006-Pres: Adjunct Associate Professor, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), Worldwide (100+ Sections)

 

Peer Reviewed Journals and Papers:

Clement, D., Mottino, S., & Costello, D. H. (2024). “Development Life Cycle for Using a DNN to Complete the Autonomous Aerial Refueling Task,” IEEE Access, 1–1. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3427668

Bostock, N., & Costello, D. (2024). “Unique Research Platform: The United States Naval Academy Yard Patrol Craft,” AIAA, Journal of Aerospace Information Systems, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.I011363

Helmich, H.F., Doherty, C.J., Costello, D.H., and Kutzer, M.D., “Automatic Ground-Truth Image Labeling for Deep Neural Network Training and Evaluation Using Industrial Robotics and Motion Capture,” ASME. J. Verif. Valid. Uncert. June 2024; 9(2): 021001. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4064311

Costello, D, Hanlon, N, Xu, H., “Refining Autonomous Vehicle Situational Awareness due to Varying Sensor Error,” Systems Engineering Journal. 2023; 1-31. Doi. 10.1002/sys.21729, URL https://doi.org/10.1002/sys. 21729

Costello, D., DeVries, L., Mauldin, C., Ross, B., “DNN Based Ranging in Support of Autonomous Aerial Refueling,” Accepted by the Journal of Intelligent & Robotics Systems Special Issue on ICUAS 2022, September 2023, doi: 10.1007/s10846-23-01969-2.

Mwaffo, V.,  Miller, D., and Costello, D., "Assessing the Predictive Performance of Two DNN Models: A Comparative Analysis to Support Reusing Training Weights for Autonomous Aerial Refueling Missions," in IEEE Access, vol. 11, pp. 92070-92079, 2023, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3308822.

Parry, J. K., Costello, D. H., Rupert, J., and Taylor, G., “The National Airworthiness Council Artificial Intelligence Working Group (NACAIWG) Summit Proceedings 2022,” Systems Engineering Journal, 2023; 1-6. Doi. 10.1002/sys.21703, URL https://doi.org/10.1002/sys.21703.

Costello, D. H., and Adams, R., “A Framework for Airworthiness Certification of Autonomous Systems Within United States Naval Aviation,” Journal of Aviation 2023; 7(1) pp. 7-16. doi: 10.30518/jav.1161725, URL: https://doi.org/10.30518/jav.1161725.

Costello, D.H., Xu, H., “Using a Run Time Assurance Approach for Certifying Autonomy Within Naval Aviation,” Systems Engineering Journal. 2022; 1-9. Doi. 10.10.1002.sys.21654, URL https://doi.org/10.10.1002/sys.21654.

Costello, D. H., and Xu, H., “Generating Certification Evidence for the Certification of Collision Avoidance in Autonomous Surface Vessels,” The Journal of Maritime Policy and Management. doi: 10.1080/03088839.2023.2180156, URL https://doi.org/10.1080/03088839.2023.2180156.

Costello, D. H., and Xu, H., “Relating Sensor Degradation to Vehicle Situational Awareness for Autonomous Air Vehicle Certification,” AIAA Journal of Aerospace Information Systems, Vol. 18, No. 4, 2021, pp. 193–202. doi:10.2514/1.I010905, URL https://doi.org/10.2514/1.I010905.

Costello, D. H., Jewell, J., and Xu, H., “Autonomous Flight-Test Data in Support of Safety of Flight Certification,” AIAA Journal of Air Transportation, Vol. 29, No. 2, 2021, pp. 93–106. doi:10.2514/1.D0220, URL https://doi.org/10.2514/1.D0220.

Costello, D. H., and Xu, H., “Generating Certification Evidence for Autonomous Aerial Vehicles Decision-Making,” AIAA Journal of Aerospace Information Systems, Vol. 18, No. 1, 2021, pp. 3–13. doi:10.2514/1.I010848, URL https://doi.org/10.2514/1.I010848.

Peer Reviewed Conference Papers:

D. Costello and H. Xu, "Flying is for Droids: A Survey of Research into Generating Certification Evidence for AI/ML Algorithms to Replace Human Pilots," 2024 International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS), Chania - Crete, Greece, 2024, pp. 843-849, doi: 10.1109/ICUAS60882.2024.10556846.

N. Bostock, A. Richez, M. Wickramasuriya, A. Webster-Giddings and D. Costello, "Optimizing Drone Operator Workload in the Terminal Area for Shipboard Operations," 2024 International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS), Chania - Crete, Greece, 2024, pp. 887-892, doi: 10.1109/ICUAS60882.2024.10556943

C. A. Civetta, D. H. Costello and M. D. M. Kutzer, "Probabilistic Object Tracking Using Quantified Camera Uncertainty Parameters in a Binocular System," 2024 International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS), Chania - Crete, Greece, 2024, pp. 136-143, doi: 10.1109/ICUAS60882.2024.10556911.

Miller D., Mwaffo V., and Costello D., “Evaluating a DNN Trained on a Laboratory-Generated Dataset Against Actual Flight Test Data for Completing the Autonomous Aerial Refueling Mission,” AIAA SCITECH 2024, Orlando, FL, January 2024

Mwaffo, V., Miller, D., Costello., D., “Image Segmentation using Deep Neural Network for the Autonomous Aerial Refueling Mission.” AIAA SCITECH 2024, Orlando, FL, January 2024

Civetta, C., Miller, D., Costello, D., Clement, D., Mottino, S. “Environmental Effects on DNN Performance During the Autonomous Refueling Task,” AIAA SCITECH 2024, Orlando, FL, January 2024

Adams, E., Mwaffo, V., Costello, D. “Can a DNN trained on a Fabricated Model be Used To Identify an Actual Naval Vessel?” AIAA SCITECH 2024, Orlando, FL, January 2024.

McCormick, S., Mwaffo, V., Costello, D. “Deep Neural Network-Based Visual Identification of Naval Surface Vessels,” AIAA SCITECH 2024, Orlando, FL, January 2024.

Richez, A., Costello, D., “Undergraduate Capstone Design Project: Autonomous Landing of an Uncrewed Multi-Rotor in a Radio-Frequency Denied, Maritime-Shipboard Environment” AIAA SCITECH 2024, Orlando, FL, January 2024.

Bostock, N., Wickramasuiya, M., Webster-Giddings, A., Costello, D. “Drone Operator Workload Analysis for Dynamic Interface Flight Test,”  AIAA SCITECH 2024, Orlando, FL, January 2024

Bostock, N., Richez, A., Costello D. "Current USNA YP Integration Flight Test" Society of Flight Test Engineers 54th Annual International Symposium, Annapolis, MD, October 2023

Clement, D., Mottino, S., and Costello D., “Process Assurance for Object Detection Through Deep Neural Network to Accomplish the Autonomous Aerial Refueling Task,” IEEE International Automated Vehicle Validation Conference, IAVVC 2023, Austin, Tx, October 2023.

Doherty, C. J., Costello, D. H., and Kutzer, D. M., "Ensuring Accuracy in Auto-Bounding Box Generation for the Autonomous Aerial Refueling Mission," 2023 International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS), Warsaw, Poland, pp. 383-388, doi: 10.1109/ICUAS57906.2023.10156598, June 2023.

Miller D., Mwaffo V., and Costello D., "Comparing DNN Performance to Justify Using Transference of Training for the Autonomous Aerial Refueling Task," 2023 International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS), Warsaw, Poland, pp. 372-376, doi: 10.1109/ICUAS57906.2023.10156120, June 2023

Miller, D, Mwaffo, V, Costello, D. H., “Transference of Training for a DNN to Complete the Aerial Refueling Task,” AIAA SCITECH 2023, National Harbor, MD, doi: 10.2514/6.2023-0192, URL https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2023-0192, January 2023.

Bowstock, N., Richez, A., Wickramasuriya, M., Costello, D.H., Webster-Giddings, A., “Verification of YP689 Flow Fields Models for Dynamic Interface Flight Test,” AIAA SCITECH 2023, National Harbor, MD, doi: doi:10.2514/6.2023-0294, URL https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2023-0294, January 2023.

Ross, B. L., Mauldin, C.A., Parry, J. K., and Costello, D.H. (2022). “First Steps Toward Certifying and UAS to Receive Fuel Airborne.” 2022 International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS), Dubrovnik, Croatia, 1656-1661. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICUAS54217.2022.9836174, June 2022.

Professional Journal Papers:

Costello, D. H., Xu, H., “Using a Run Time Assurance Approach for Certifying Autonomy Within Naval Aviation,” The ITEA Journal of Test and Evaluation 2022; 43: 165-173.

Costello, D.H., and Whiteneck, D.J. “Dynamic Maneuver Requires Agile Logistics,” Proceedings of the U.S. Naval Institute, January 2020.

Costello, D., and Gilroy, B., “The Naval Aviation Technical Information Product,” NSAWC Journal, Winter 2015, pp. 40-48.

Costello, D.H., “From Prowlers to Growlers,” Smithsonian Air and Space, November 2010.

Costello, D.H., and Davis, T., “The Original EA-6B Retires,” The Journal of Electronic Defense, Vol. 22, No. 8, August 2010.

Conference/Invited Presentations:

Costello, D., Miller D., “Supporting Autonomous Aerial Refueling,” Invited Presentation to the Society of Flight Test Engineers 54th Annual International Symposium, Annapolis, MD, October 2023.

Costello, D. H., “Standards and Methods of Compliance for Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Refueling,” Invited Presentation, Seventh Annual Workshop on Naval Applications of Machine Learning, San Diego, CA, March 2023.

Doherty, C., Helmich, H., Costello, D., Kutzer, M.; “Toward Automatic Ground-Truth Labeling Using Industrial Robotics and Motion Capture,” ASME IMECE 2022 International Undergraduate Research and Development Expo Poster Session, Columbus, OH, October 2022.

Costello, D. H., “Assuring Autonomy for the Future Force”, Invited Presentation, Airworthiness Symposium hosted by Northrop Grumman, Baltimore, MD, August 2022.

Costello, D. H., and Xu. H., “Judgement Proxies for Certification of Autonomous Systems: Our Research,” Invited Presentation/Panelist, ICRA 2022, May 2022, Philadelphia, PA.

Costello, D. H., “Run Time Assurance Approach to Certifying Autonomy Within Naval Aviation, Possible Method to Certify Without a Human in or On the Loop,” AUVSI Xponential 2022, May 2022, Orlando, FL.