InDroSpect - Industrial indoor inspection drones

The main goal in the project InDroSpect is the development of a cost-effective, powerful and customizable indoor drone “Made in Austria” that can also be used for complex outdoor areas. The market is currently dominated by expensive, difficult-to-customize systems from manufacturers, which offer limited potentials for automation. This is a major obstacle, especially for industrial applications such as the regular inspection of critical infrastructure (energy networks, gas pipelines, production facilities).

InDroSpect uses an innovative combination of cost-efficient additive manufacturing using innovative 3D printing technology, optimized mission planning with Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) for GPS-free navigation and modular drone systems for various sensor applications (e.g. RGB camera, thermographic camera, Lidar) and deployment scenarios.

One focus to fulfill the project goal is the development and optimization of a low-cost filament-based 3D printer for the production of CFRP lightweight structures. Compared to conventional methods such as prepreg or infusion processes, filament-based (fused filament fabrication, FFF) additive manufacturing with continuous carbon fibers offers significant advantages. It enables considerable time and cost savings, as no tools are required and complex structures are produced in a single step.The modular design of the drone enables both tethered and untethered use. While tethered operation ensures a continuous power supply for long-term operations in non-complex environments, wireless operation ensures maximum mobility for specialized inspections in hard-to-reach areas.
In addition, the use of foundation models for AI-supported image analysis makes it possible to optimize cost-effective cameras on the software side in order to generate high-quality image data. This leads to increased efficiency in image processing as well as more precise navigation and automated classification of inspection data. The combination of edge computing and advanced image processing models enables real-time analysis and broad applicability in industry, infrastructure inspection, and forestry.

The project is clearly focused towards the market maturity of the InDroSpect drone with TRL8 within three years. The drone is intended to be a competitive Austrian alternative to existing systems thanks to its cost-efficient production, flexible adaptability and high performance. InDroSpect addresses the core objectives of the Aviation Strategy 2040+ by using innovative technologies to increase the efficiency and sustainability of UAV and drones for industrial inspection processes. By integrating state-of-the-art AI technology, additive manufacturing and modular designs, InDroSpect makes a significant contribution to Austria