Seyedreza Fattahi Massoum

University of Toronto

Seyedreza (Reza) Fattahi Massoum is a Ph.D. candidate in aerospace science and engineering at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS), supervised by Professor Hugh H.-T. Liu. He received his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and his master’s degree in flight dynamics and control from Sharif University of Technology. Reza’s research interests include energy efficiency studies and optimal control design for aerial systems with suspended payloads, as well as control systems design for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) and fixed-wing aircraft. His Ph.D. research focuses on energy-optimal trajectory generation and nonlinear control design for a multirotor-slung load system with a varying-length cable, enabling dynamic cable control for complex aerial missions and improving onboard energy use to reduce operational costs. In his master’s program, he worked on configuration study and robust control system design for an on-demand, energy-efficient urban transportation eVTOL. He has been an active member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) since 2018 and the Vertical Flight Society (VFS) since 2024. Reza is also an aspiring aerospace entrepreneur. After graduation, he plans to join an accelerator program at the University of Toronto and establish Canada’s first commercial eVTOL manufacturing company. His long-term vision is to make urban air mobility safer, more accessible, and truly affordable by addressing public concerns and cost barriers. Outside of research, Reza enjoys hiking, swimming, and playing soccer."