Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
Unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones, include fixed-wing aircraft, multicopters and hybrid configurations. They have the potential for a variety of uses that go far beyond traditional aviation applications. These include, for example, the delivery of parcels, analysis of disaster areas, agricultural optimization and monitoring of nature reserves. The focus of current research is on
- the design and construction of application-specific drones
- the design of flight control systems and autopilots for safe and autonomous flight operations
- optimal flight route planning for energy efficiency or search grids
- the coordination and communication of several drones in a swarm.
Topics:
The Chair of Flight Mechanics and Flight Control currently offers the following topics for student research projects and theses. If you are interested, please get in touch with the contact person for the relevant topic. Please refrain from multiple requests.
The research company AEF - Autonom Elektrisch Fliegen gGmbH offers project work in the field of research and development for autonomous aviation technology, flight infrastructure & flight services (U-Space).
You can find more information and a brief introduction to the company here.
If you are interested in a promising programming job and flexible working hours, please contact AEF by phone and/or e-mail by November 30, 2025 .
Contact:
Florian Helm: +49 1577 400 19 44
Axel Schober: +49 176 471 340 24
Research about air cabs and delivery drones is currently focusing on determining the requirements for corresponding take-off and landing sites. Particularly in urban areas, the specific flight paths and take-off and landing options are subject to special influences. Due to their size, weight and electric propulsion, drones and air cabs are particularly susceptible to wind, gusts of wind, turbulence, precipitation, icing and extreme temperatures. At low altitudes they often operate in the meteorological boundary layer. That is the lowest part of the atmosphere, where the earth's surface and obstacles (e.g. buildings) generate strong turbulence. Weather sensitivity and weather hazards require novel, very precise flight planning and flight controllers based on a comprehensive weather situation picture of the lower airspace. The aim of this work is to develop approach and departure trajectories for drones to ensure safe operation.
Contact person
© Martin Guist
Research Assistant
NameDipl.-Ing. Martin Guist
Send encrypted email via the SecureMail portal (for TUD external users only).
Drones are becoming increasingly popular in the field of disaster control and relief. In particular, the rapid operational readiness and danger minimization for pilots speak for these systems.
The aim of this work is the modeling of optimal flight routes in search and rescue scenarios. Accounting for wind and weather conditions as well as the causes of the disaster, for example forest fires, play a decisive role here.
Contact person
© Martin Guist
Research Assistant
NameDipl.-Ing. Martin Guist
Send encrypted email via the SecureMail portal (for TUD external users only).
Quadrocopter im Flug
Motivation
Autonomous flight capabilities are generally required for the effective use of unmanned aerial systems. In many cases, the design of the necessary control algorithms is based on a mathematical model. In the context of this work, a flight dynamics model of a quadrocopter is to be derived via a system identification campaign.
Task definition
- Literature research on the system identification of multicopters
- Design of a suitable mathematical model structure with the parameters to be identified
- Design and implementation of a flight test program on the Flight Management Unit (Pixhawk 6x)
- Carrying out the flight tests
- Identification of the model parameters based on the flight test data
Contact person
© Martin Guist
Research Assistant
NameDipl.-Ing. Martin Guist
Send encrypted email via the SecureMail portal (for TUD external users only).
If you are still unsure about your topic, we are also happy to offer general advice. Alternative options can also be presented based on the student's individual interests. We are also happy to support student theses with industry partners or initiative topic suggestions from students. The contact person for projects about unmanned aerial vehicles is:
© Martin Guist
Research Assistant
NameDipl.-Ing. Martin Guist
Send encrypted email via the SecureMail portal (for TUD external users only).