PRISMA Lab flies over power lines with AERIAL-CORE

There is also the Federico II'sPRISMA Lab , coordinated by Professor Bruno Siciliano, among the partners of AERIAL-CORE, a research project to develop cognitive technologies to serve an integrated aerial robotic system for the inspection and maintenance of high-voltage power lines.

Funded by the European Commission to the tune of 8.6 million euros, AERIAL-CORE boasts the largest budget among the aerial robotics research and innovation projects born under the HORIZON 2020 program. Behind it is a large consortium, coordinated by the GRVC Robotics Laboratory of the University of Seville, composed of 10 institutions including universities, Research and Technology Centers four specialized companies and one end user who will validate the application.

Professor Vincenzo Lippiello with the PRISMA team, along with scientists and researchers from the CREATE Research Consortium and its spin-off NEABOTICS, are engaged in the search for innovative robotic solutions that can eliminate the risks associated with the maintenance of high-voltage power lines.

"This is an extremely risky activity that requires highly skilled personnel, but often involves operators taking really significant risks. Aerial robotics represents the new frontier of applied research, which is a successful example of technology transfer from research centers to companies. Thanks to the AERIAL-CORE project, attempts are being made to create aerial technologies that can operate remotely and in absolute safety with a level of dexterity and strength comparable to that of a human operator. The drone under development will be equipped with two ultralight robotic arms capable of being teleoperated or working partially autonomously to perform complex tasks, such as mounting bird deterrents, spacers, drone charging stations, and cleaning insulators on high-voltage lines." The greatest difficulty, Professor Lippiello explains, "is the realization of systems that will withstand contact with high-voltage power lines, operating at thousands of volts, without destroying the electronics on board the drone. This goal required the involvement of several faculty members specializing in both robotics and electrical engineering at DIETI, including Professors Mario Pagano and Carlo Petrarca."

The expected developments of AERIAL-CORE aim to shape the future of aerial robotics in terms of flight autonomy, aerial manipulation, aerial co-working and cognitive techniques through the use of artificial intelligence, thus consolidating European leadership in research in the field of inspection and maintenance of linear infrastructure.

AERIAL-CORE - https://aerial-core.eu/

PRISMA Lab - http://prisma.dieti.unina.it

CREATE - https://www.create.unina.it