UAV-Based SHM and NDE for Infrastructure
In their Master thesis with our chair, Roman Dautzenberg and Timo Küster, demonstrate how uncrewed aerial systems can revolutionize infrastructure monitoring.
We are excited to highlight the outstanding master's thesis work of Roman Dautzenberg and Timo Küster, two students from the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering (D-MAVT) at ETH Zurich. Their Masters project was conducted in collaboration and close alignment with the mission of our Chair of Structural Mechanics and Monitoring, under the supervision of Prof. Eleni Chatzi and Marcus Haywood-Alexander.
Their thesis, titled "Increasing UAS Capabilities for Infrastructure Inspection and Monitoring", explores how uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) can be transformed into powerful tools for structural health monitoring (SHM) and non-destructive evaluation (NDE). Through the integration of MEMS-based sensor deployment, ultrasonic tomography, and ground-penetrating radar, the team demonstrates how such aerial systems can reach and inspect critical locations that are difficult or dangerous for human operators—paving the way for safer, more efficient infrastructure diagnostics.
The students developed and demonstrated a working solution using the AITHON Robotics UAS, a platform that was tested both in controlled lab conditions and on a real bridge structure, showcasing its robustness and versatility.
We extend our congratulations to Roman and Timo for this innovative contribution at the intersection of robotics and civil engineering—and a special thanks to Marcus Haywood-Alexander for his co-supervision and support throughout the project.