Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB
Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation IOSB
© Fraunhofer IOSB / Erik Krüger

© Fraunhofer IOSB

Drones Experience Lab

From need to application: Assessing the potential of drones and drone networks and harnessing it for specific use cases

Drones and drone swarms open up new possibilities for information gathering, situational assessment, and the coordinated handling of complex tasks. Such systems are particularly relevant in the areas of crisis prevention and management, as well as defense and security. In addition, they offer a wide range of potential applications in industry, construction, and environmental monitoring, as well as for inspection and logistics tasks.

Through the Fraunhofer IOSB Drones Experience Lab in Karlsruhe, we offer companies, government agencies, research institutions, and other interested parties an application-oriented framework for assessing the potential, limitations, and possible uses of drones and drone swarms within their respective application contexts and for developing concrete use cases.

Based on specific questions and needs, we assess technological possibilities, develop potential deployment scenarios, and derive suitable approaches for research and development, testing, or pilot projects.

Images: Several drones or a small drone swarm being tested.

© Fraunhofer IOSB
© Fraunhofer IOSB
© Fraunhofer IOSB

Key areas of application

Fraunhofer IOSB brings many years of expertise in the development of intelligent drones and cooperative drone systems. At the Drones Experience Lab, we examine technological issues relevant to the deployment of individual drones and heterogeneous drone swarms in various application contexts.

Our focus includes the following topics, among others:

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  • Drones can collect relevant information flexibly and with reduced risk. We examine how sensor and contextual information can be analyzed, integrated, and processed into tailored situational pictures that reflect specific tasks and needs.

  • We are investigating methods for planning and executing drone missions. This includes selecting suitable systems and capabilities, coordinating heterogeneous drone swarms, assigning tasks, and adapting mission execution to changing objectives, environmental conditions, or operational situations. We are also examining how intelligent drone swarms can carry out tasks in a self-organized manner.

  • Another area of focus is on modular and scalable control stations for controlling and monitoring individual drones and heterogeneous drone swarms. In this context, we examine task-oriented operating concepts and support functions for the planning, execution, and evaluation of missions.

  • We are investigating how different drones, sensors, payloads, and control systems can interact via appropriate interfaces and be integrated into higher-level structures. This also includes interaction with other unmanned and autonomous systems, such as ground and water vehicles, as well as humanoid robots.

  • We examine the technical foundations for autonomy and information processing tailored to the specific task at hand, including, when necessary, decentralized processing directly on the drones themselves. This includes customized software components, operating system concepts designed specifically for drone systems, and the use of state-of-the-art AI methods.

From application requirements to use cases

 

The starting point for the Drones Experience Lab is the specific questions and needs of each interested party. Together, we examine the technological possibilities, limitations, and framework conditions of drones and drone swarms in their respective application contexts.

Depending on the specific question, we develop a suitable format for discussion and collaboration. In doing so, we analyze application needs, structure potential deployment scenarios, and examine requirements, technical feasibility, potential benefits, and open research and development questions. Our experience from joint R&D projects, along with relevant examples and – where available – selected demonstrators, can support the technical assessment.

The results provide a foundation for evaluating potential use cases and deriving appropriate next steps for research, development, or testing.

 

Our joint approach

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Working together to define specific use cases

Would you like to gain an overview of the potential of drones and drone swarms, or assess how such systems can help solve a specific problem? At the Drones Experience Lab, we help you assess the technological possibilities and limitations, develop potential use cases for your specific context, and determine appropriate next steps for research, development, or testing.

Platform for exchange, research, and knowledge transfer

The Drones Experience Lab combines technical guidance and collaborative use-case development with the design of follow-up research, development, and testing projects. It creates a framework for exchange between users and researchers, helping to align specific needs with technological possibilities.

In this way, application-specific questions can be systematically explored, and research findings can be gradually applied to concrete applications.

Infrastructure and framework conditions

The infrastructure of the Drone Experience Lab includes an indoor test bed located at the Karlsruhe Research Factory. The test bed features an expandable technical infrastructure as well as various drone systems that can be used to examine selected technological aspects depending on the specific research question. It thus supports the technical exploration of drones and drone swarms and can help illustrate selected functions and interrelationships.

The possibilities the indoor test field offers for a specific task depend on the particular needs as well as the technical and organizational conditions. Complete application scenarios are therefore typically first examined at the conceptual level. If suitable environments or additional infrastructure are provided by partners, further investigation and testing approaches can be jointly designed and evaluated in relation to the specific project.

Drone projects at Fraunhofer IOSB

ALBACOPTER® - A scalable concept for autonomous flying transport drones
MODEAS – Modular drone detection and assistance system
SiUSpace: Safe drone operation in U-Space
Reconnaissance with mobile and stationary Sensors in a combined System - AMFIS
ArGUS - Assistance system for situation-aware defense against threats posed by UAS
[Interview] From a drone recorder to a safe laser effector (German)
Solutions that enable interoperability between unmanned systems and their control stations
AI-based detection, classification, and tracking of drones
ISR Manager App - Resource-optimised sensor deployment planning
Implementation of networked maritime surveillance and reconnaissance missions - OCEAN2020
SENEKA – Mobile robot sensor network for disaster management
Heterogeneous unmanned group of intelligent vehicles
Software application for route planning for mobile systems - PathPlanner
ABUL – Automated image and video analysis for unmanned aerial vehicles
cUAS - Detection, classification, tracking, and defense against small drones

Drones and humanoid robots working together

One scope of application that is particularly relevant for the future is the collaboration between drones and humanoid robots in heterogeneous teams. We are examining how these two types of systems can contribute their respective capabilities, exchange information, and coordinate the completion of tasks. In this work, we are combining the competences of the Drones Experience Lab with those of the Humanoid Robots Experience Lab at Fraunhofer IOSB.

More information

 

IAS department of Fraunhofer IOSB

Would you like to learn more about our work in the areas of Interoperability and Assistance Systems? Then visit the page for our IAS department to learn more about the services we offer. 

About the IAS Department
 

AI and Robotics business unit

Would you like to learn more about our projects in the AI and Robotics business unit? Then visit the business unit's page.

About the Business Unit
 

Defense and Security business unit

Here you can learn more about our projects in the Defense and Security business unit.

About the Business Unit