Empa’s DroneHub Launches Cutting-Edge Research Platform for Autonomous Flying Robots

Empa’s DroneHub Launches Cutting-Edge Research Platform for Autonomous Flying Robots

(IN BRIEF) Empa, in partnership with Imperial College London, has launched the DroneHub, a cutting-edge research facility for autonomous flying robots designed to address infrastructure maintenance, environmental restoration, and biodiversity monitoring. The hub features specialized spaces for 3D printing repairs, testing biodegradable robots in natural ecosystems, and integrating drones into building systems for autonomous monitoring and emergency response. Led by Professor Mirko Kovac, the DroneHub aims to advance sustainability-focused robotics that harmonize with both built and natural environments, tackling challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss while reducing human risk and operational costs.

(PRESS RELEASE) DÜBENDORF, 20-Nov-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Empa, in collaboration with Imperial College London, has inaugurated the DroneHub, a state-of-the-art research facility dedicated to developing autonomous flying robots for infrastructure maintenance, environmental restoration, and biodiversity monitoring. Situated at Empa’s NEST research and innovation building, the DroneHub serves as a testing ground for pioneering robotic technologies that integrate seamlessly with both built and natural environments.

Led by Professor Mirko Kovac, a joint appointee between Empa, EPFL, and Imperial College London, the DroneHub builds on a partnership established in 2019 to advance Sustainability Robotics. The facility will also support Kovac’s joint professorship in this emerging field.

“This new platform is a milestone in drone research and underscores the importance of collaborative partnerships like that of Empa and Imperial College London,” said Empa Director Tanja Zimmermann.

Innovative Features and Applications

The DroneHub offers three key research spaces:

1. Aerial Additive Manufacturing (AAM): A vertical testing area where drones perform 3D printing repairs on building surfaces under real-world conditions, such as wind and turbulence. This setup allows researchers to optimize the use of drones for tasks like infrastructure repair.
2. Biosphere Environment: A space dedicated to studying how biodegradable robots and advanced sensors interact with natural ecosystems. These robots, capable of flying, climbing, or traversing the ground, are designed to biodegrade after completing their tasks, ensuring minimal environmental impact.
3. Building Façade Integration: Designed to demonstrate how drones can act as an “immune system” for buildings, this area focuses on autonomous monitoring, emergency response, and data collection. Modular components enable ongoing innovation in the interaction between robots, humans, and infrastructure.

Sustainability and Vision

Professor Kovac described the facility’s transformative potential: “Our vision is to enable drones to function like an immune system for the environment, addressing critical challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, and infrastructure resilience while reducing human risk and operational costs.”

Robots developed at the DroneHub aim to not only perform precise tasks, such as repairing cracks or collecting environmental data, but also to adapt and enhance interactions within human and natural ecosystems.

Future Impact

By providing a platform for the development of sustainability-focused robotics, the DroneHub redefines how technology can harmonize with ecosystems and infrastructure. It accelerates progress toward addressing pressing environmental challenges while paving the way for innovative applications in both urban and natural settings.

The DroneHub marks a significant step in leveraging robotics for a sustainable future, creating technologies that transform the way we interact with the world around us.

Media Contacts:

Mirko Kovac
Director Laboratory of Sustainability Robotics, Empa
Director Aerial Robotics Lab, Imperial Collage London
Tel. +41 58 765 46 89
mirko.kovac@empa.ch

Enrico Marchesi
Innovation Manager NEST
Tel. +41 58 765 47 05
enrico.marchesi@empa.ch

Annina Schneider
Communications
Tel. +41 58 765 41 07
redaktion@empa.ch

SOURCE: EMPA