Drones in construction

DroneHub is planned for the existing NEST research and innovation building on the Empa campus in Dübendorf, Switzerland

Drones

Drone research center takes autonomous building repairs to the skies

Imagine an army of flying drones focused on detecting building issues before they become serious and carrying out repairs autonomously. It sounds like science fiction, but researchers aim to explore whether it could indeed be realized at the DroneHub.

The unique cyclorotor/propeller hybrid system allows Astria to hold decent-sized payloads right out towards a target for close-up and touch-based applications, offering exceptional stability without the drone tilting and pitching around

Drones

Non-tilting cyclorotor drone boasts unique abilities

Most drones need to tilt to move and correct against gusts of wind. Pitch Aero's Astria, however, can keep itself preternaturally level and stable, thanks to a novel use of cyclorotors that opens up a range of use cases other drones can't handle.

Where a human roofer would need to pull the trigger on the electric nail gun, the team programmed a virtual switch so that the drone itself does so when in the correct position

Drones

Autonomous roofing drone nails down asphalt shingles

Scientists at the University of Michigan have demonstrated an octocopter equipped with a nail gun and a knack for fixing asphalt shingles to a mock rooftop.

DJI's Phantom 4 RTK: ultra-precise positioning system for industrial applications

Drones

DJI's Phantom 4 gets a dorky haircut and a real job

DJI has updated its popular compact Phantom 4 drone for industrial and surveying use, with centimeter-level RTK positioning accuracy, an upgraded camera that also records extra metadata, precisely synchronized timekeeping and a purpose-built flight planning application.

Researchers hope to fit drones with spraying hoses to apply layers of biomaterials onto light structures, such as geodesic dome frames or grid shells covered in tensile fabrics

Architecture

Mud-spraying drones take aim at low-cost housing

Further to opening our eyes to all kinds of new perspectives on our environment, we are beginning to see how drones can play very active roles in its construction. The latest example comes from a team of researchers that hope to use them to craft low-cost housing made from natural materials.