The Challenge 

Infrastructure is a cornerstone of modern-day society; powerlines, pipelines and railways are essential in how our world works. For decades, construction companies have struggled with poor coordination, limited capabilities and high costs. To counter this, and in an effort to consolidate public safety, companies and governments will have to expand their current infrastructure monitoring operations, as well as erect new networks. Currently, infrastructure is inspected manually by on-site ground teams, and aerial surveillance is provided by helicopters, an incredibly expensive option. This issue can also be found in humanitarian crises such as the Mediterranean crisis, forest fires and poaching. Where NGOs lack the funds to survey large swaths of areas over which these crises occur.

The Solution

Our solution is a solar-powered autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV). This device shall be capable of sustained flight - able to operate during night and day for prolonged periods of time. ETH Zurich set a precedent for this with their AtlantikSolar project, which set a world record of 81 consecutive hours of flight time. Our design would not aim to break the record, instead, it would focus on establishing a middle ground between endurance flight and practical applicability by housing an onboard optical surveillance system. This optical suite, paired with an onboard AI system, will autonomously detect situations the drone is tasked to search for.

The Mission

Our vision is to help ensure the safety and reliability of critical infrastructure networks through a medium that doubles as a tool for humanitarian work. We’re developing a solar-powered autonomous drone capable of prolonged aerial surveillance, to be used by construction firms and NGOs alike. Our first prototype will be completed by the end of 2022.

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