News
CTA (Technological Corporation of Andalusia) invites you to the upcoming webinar ‘Driving Digital Transformation: Meet the Digital Innovation Hubs’, taking place on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, at 10:00 CET.
Organized as part of the hashtag#AeroSTREAM and Andalucía Agrotech Digital Innovation Hub eDIH projects, the webinar will highlight the crucial role of European Digital Innovation Hubs Network (EDIHs) in accelerating digital transformation for businesses and public sector organizations. Acting as one-stop-shops, EDIHs offer services such as ‘try before you invest’, digital skills training, and sustainability support. These services enhance competitiveness and drive the transition to a circular and sustainable economy.
The event will showcase EDIHs from various sectors, demonstrating how they provide tailored solutions to local challenges while leveraging their pan-European networks to share best practices. This ensures that innovative digital solutions reach even the most remote regions of Europe.
For more details and registration, visit the CTA event page https://lnkd.in/dXENXQnu.
Aerostream participated in the DroneDays event on October 8th and 9th at the SECCEL Building in Zagreb, where numerous companies and startups presented their latest innovations in drone technology. Aerostream's exhibition booth garnered significant attention alongside other industry leaders, highlighting advancements in aerial solutions.
While attendees engaged in insightful talks, the exhibition area featured cutting-edge technologies from leading companies and emerging startups, offering a valuable opportunity to explore new developments and establish meaningful partnerships within the industry.
During an official visit to Zagreb from October 7 to 18, 2024, Tarik Pozderac attended the DroneDays 2024 conference, held on October 8-9. Following the conference, on October 10, 2024, Tarik participated in two specialized training sessions: Multi-Sensor Multi-Object Tracking Systems led by Javier Gil Avilés of FLYROS, and UWB Localization Training with Vlad Niculescu from ETH Zürich.
These sessions offered valuable insights into advanced UAV technologies. Tarik then collaborated with Jurica Goričanec and Antun Ivanović from the LARICS laboratory at FER to work on a custom-made drone from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering Sarajevo. The team began by testing components and switching the drone's firmware from PX4 to Ardupilot. After reassembling the drone and resolving compatibility issues with the RC controller, they successfully armed the drone and completed its first flight on October 17, 2024.
By the end of the visit, the team had successfully tested the drone's integration with FER’s software stack and ROS for communication, and discussed next steps for bringing these advancements back to the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Sarajevo. This collaboration will allow further experimentation and application of UAV technologies in real-world scenarios.
The AeroSTREAM consortium gathered in Zagreb for an eventful week of presentations, meetings and networking activities. The event was hosted by the AeroSTERAM partner, the Faculty of Traffic and Transportation Sciences, and we visited their premises on the Borongaj Campus.
We started the week with two innovation and management trainings: “Spin-off Creation” and “Horizon Europe Management in a Nutshell”, both held by our colleagues from CTA. On the same day, the general assembly of the project took place to discuss the plans for the remainder of the project.
The next two days were spent at DroneDays, a workshop on aerial robotics organized by UNIZG-FER held at the SEECEL building of the University of Zagreb. Abeje Mersha from Saxion participated as a lecturer with his presentation (add title). AeroSTREAM was also represented with a stand to present the project as a whole and the activities of each partner.
On the last day, there were two research training sessions for master students and PhD students, one on multi-target localization (presented by FlyRoS) and one on ultra-wideband localization.
Join us for the Horizon Europe AeroSTREAM training sessions at the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences, Zagreb, on Monday, 7th October and Thursday, 10th October 2024. Participation is free for all interested individuals. These sessions offer a unique opportunity to gain insights from industry experts on innovation, project management, and technologies such as multi-object tracking systems and UWB localization.
On 27 September 2024, during the European Researchers’ Night, Prof. Tahirovic registered the UNSA-ETF team to showcase both the faculty and the AeroSTREAM project. Research assistant Tarik Pozderac, PhD student, and master’s student Azra Redžović, who works on her master thesis under supervision of prof Tahirovic in the field of optimal control, represented the UNSA-ETF team, highlighting their work and displaying some of the equipment related to unmanned aerial vehicles. The exhibit attracted significant attention from both the younger audience and the general public due to the attractive nature of the showcased equipment.
From August 28 to 31, 2024, elementary school pupils in Sveti Križ Začretje participated in an engaging STEM Week organized by Denis Kotarski and Alen Šćuric from the University of Zagreb Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (UNIZG-FSB) as part of the "First Voice of Zagorje, Week of Culture, Entertainment, and Sports."
Over four days, 15 enthusiastic participants explored robotics, drones, and 3D printing. The workshops began with an introduction to TinkerCAD software, allowing pupils to create simple 3D models of robot and drone components. They then learned about 3D printing, designing personal pendants that were printed for them to collect the next day.
On subsequent days, pupils delved into block programming using Scratch, gaining hands-on experience with BBC micro:bit and operating ground robots and DJI Tello quadrotor drones. By the end of the week, students had developed their programming skills and gained foundational knowledge in STEM fields, sparking their interest in technology and engineering.
The event was a resounding success, fostering creativity, collaboration, and technical skills among the young participants.
In August 2024, Ibrahim Alispahić and Prof. Adnan Tahirović presented their research paper, Path Planning for Multi-Agent Systems Using Deep Q-Networks Reinforcement Learning, at the TAROS 2024 conference, held at Brunel University, London. This research, developed as part of Ibrahim’s thesis under the supervision of Prof. Tahirović at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Sarajevo, introduces an innovative approach to enhancing multi-agent cooperation and coordination using deep Q-networks (DQN).
The paper addresses the multi-agent traveling salesman problem, focusing on strategies to improve collaboration and efficient target-reaching—crucial for tasks like autonomous aerial inspections and maintenance. By applying the DQN-based algorithm, the research showcases the system’s flexibility in adapting to dynamic environments where both agents and targets change positions. This adaptability makes it highly applicable for real-world scenarios. Their work was presented during the Human-Robot Interaction/Collaboration and Multi-Agent Systems session, contributing to the broader discussion on advancements in autonomous systems and robotics fields. TAROS 2024 provided a valuable platform not only for sharing research but also for networking with researchers from leading UK universities. The event fostered meaningful discussions and opened the door to potential collaborations in the field of robotics and autonomous systems.
Jakob Domislovic and Robert Milijaš have successfully participated in the Summer School on Multi-Robot Systems, hosted by Czech Technical University in Prague from July 29th to August 2nd, 2024. This program provided a unique opportunity for both to explore advanced topics in robotics and select two key areas of focus closely aligned with their research interests.
During the event, Jakob and Robert engaged with leading experts and practitioners in the field, deepening their knowledge and expertise. They also connected with partners from the hashtag
hashtag#AeroSTREAM project and networked with other robotics enthusiasts from across the EU and beyond. Their participation underscores their commitment to advancing multi-robot systems and fostering valuable collaborations in the robotics community.
We extend our gratitude to the organizers of the Summer School for this enriching opportunity.
From July 22 to July 25, 2024, a delegation from the University of Sarajevo (UNSA), led by Professors Adnan Tahirovic and Nedim Osmic, engaged in a series of productive activities at the Czech Technical University (CTU). The visit included a key meeting with Professor Martin Saska, who provided insights into securing national and EU research funding, while showcasing his lab's pioneering work in robotics and autonomous systems.
The delegation also toured Fly4Future, an innovative startup focused on drone solutions for precision agriculture, infrastructure monitoring, and logistics. Discussions centered on integrating AI technologies to enhance drone operational efficiency, with both parties expressing interest in future collaborative research.
Additionally, a meeting with PhD student Frantizek at CTU led to the definition of a joint research experiment. The project aims to compare energy-efficient algorithms for drone trajectory planning, incorporating no-fly zones, and explore advancements in photogrammetry for power line inspections. Future experiments are planned in Temišvar, marking a promising step towards enhanced collaboration in drone technology and research.
LARICS members Bruno Marić and Matko Orsag participated in the Robotics: Science and Systems RSS Conference, held from July 15-19, 2024, at Delft University of Technology in Delft, Netherlands. Bruno Marić presented the article titled "Kinesthetic vs Imitation: Analysis of Usability and Workload of Programming by Demonstration Methods" during the workshop "Mechanisms for Mapping Human Input to Robots: From Robot Learning to Shared Control/Autonomy" on July 15, 2024.
Additionally, on July 17, 2024, Associate Professor Dr. sc. Matko Orsag delivered a lecture titled "From Aerial Robotics and Industrial Automation to Truly Dexterous Manipulation" at the University of Twente's Robotics and Mechatronics (RaM) lab as part of the hashtag#AeroSTREAM project.
From July 1 to 4, 2024, in Valletta, Malta, Anel Tarhibegović and Prof. Adnan Tahirović took part in the CoDIT 2024 (International Conference on Control, Decision and Information Technologies). Anel, a PhD student from the University of Zagreb, is working in collaboration with Prof. Stjepan Bogdan and Prof. Adnan Tahirović from the University of Sarajevo. His work will likely be co-supervised by both universities, strengthening ties between these two widening institutions.
Anel and Prof. Tahirović were there to present their research on the optimal robustification of linear quadratic regulators, a topic closely related to the goals of the AeroSTREAM project. Their presentation highlighted important advancements in control theory.
CoDIT 2024 marks the tenth edition of this prestigious conference, which has been held annually since 2013. This year, it served as a key platform for technical exchange, bringing together experts in fields such as control, automation, robotics, optimization, and information technologies. The event offered a valuable opportunity for academic and industrial leaders to address new challenges, share innovative solutions, and discuss future research directions.
The technical program at CoDIT 2024 included plenary lectures, regular technical sessions, and special sessions, offering attendees a wide range of insights into the latest developments in control and decision technologies.
Last week Robert Milijaš delivered a presentation titled "How UAVs Work" ("Kiel funkcias senpilotaj aviadiloj") at the 12th Congress of Croatian Esperantists, held from June 21st to 28th. As part of the #Aerostream project, Milijaš explained the operational mechanisms, control systems, and practical applications of unmanned aerial vehicles (#UAVs).
Filip Zoric doctoral candidate at LARICS, will soon be heading off on a research trip to Enschede, Netherlands. He will depart at 26th of June, and return at the 2nd of August.
Filip's trip is in collaboration with the Robotics and Mechatronics Group from University of Twente (UT).
During his time in Enschede, Filip will conduct research on visual based teleoperation and inspection with aerial manipulators. His research visit is supported by Croatian Science Foundation project Outbound Mobility for Research Assistants.
From June 4-14, 2024, AeroSTREAM members convened in Chania, Crete, Greece, during the ICUAS 2024 conference. The event focused on training and technical management, with an overview of the project's current achievements presented by partners from the University of Twente, Fly4Future, and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering Sarajevo.
🎉 Exciting news from the Bounding Box Conference! The panel "Deep Tech in Agriculture: Are we ready for disruption?" explored how innovative technologies like drones are set to revolutionize the agricultural industry.
The event highlighted the sector's reliance on energy-intensive practices and the potential for technologies such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, and unmanned aerial vehicles to enhance efficiency.
Moderated by Vlatko Galić, the panel featured insights from Zdenko Kovacic (Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb), Ivan Plaščak (Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences, University of Osijek), Ivan Lauc (Plodovi.hr), and Mario Samardzic (DRONTIM).
On June 7th, 2024, the AeroSTREAM Project Consortium Meeting convened at ICUAS. Experts and stakeholders gathered to discuss advancements and future directions in unmanned aerial systems, featuring insightful presentations and collaborative discussions that fostered innovation within the AeroSTREAM project.
Bounding Box Conference in Osijek!
As part of the Bounding Box Conference, the AeroSTREAM end-user workshop will be held, featuring a stand, several presentations, and panel discussions.
Join us to explore innovations and connect with industry experts.
On June 9, 2024, we had the pleasure of joining the HUBS DRON PIKNIK 2024 and the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences at Znanstveno-učilišni kampus Borongaj in Zagreb. LARICS was proud to sponsor this event, which ran from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Attendees had the opportunity to visit our stand and explore the latest advancements in unmanned technology, including our DroneDays event and the Aerostream project. Thank you to everyone who joined us! 🌟🛸
After several months and two challenging phases, the 2024 edition of ICUAS UAV Competition has concluded with the special session with team presentations in Chania, Greece, held on June 7, 2024.
From the group of six finalist teams (AIRo Lab from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University), AVADER AGH from AGH University of Krakow, AVANT-UFMG from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, ITUAV from Istanbul Technical University, UAS-DTU from Delhi Technological University (Formerly DCE), UNIST ASL from Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology), the team from Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Republic of Korea - UNIST ASL (https://asl.unist.ac.kr/) emerged on top as the winners of the Competition, preparing the best yield estimation for UAVs in both indoor and outdoor agriculture scenarios.
Two scientific papers co-authored by members of LARICS have been accepted for publication at ICUAS'24 by ICUAS Association, Inc. in Chania, Crete!
Accepted Articles:
1. Towards Instance Segmentation Based Litter Collection with Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicle, co-authored with Filip Zoric, Antonio Franchi, Matko Orsag, Zdenko Kovacic, and Chiara Gabellieri. This work introduces autonomous floating litter collection with a multi-rotor vehicle in a laboratory environment. https://lnkd.in/dKKYFPTA
2. AI Enhanced Structure Health Monitoring (SHM) with Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicle, co-authored with Filip Zorić, Ana Milas, Tamara Petrović, Zdenko Kovacic, and Matko Orsag. The paper showcases the utilization of instance segmentation to detect concrete cracks and localize them on a global map, further underscoring the potential of MRAVs for autonomous structural health monitoring.
#ICUAS24 #SciencePublication #AutonomousTechnology
LARICS members Antun Ivanovic and Goran Vaslijević recently conducted a workshop titled “Heterogeneous Robotic System for Inspection and Intervention in GNSS-Denied Environments: Experience from MBZIRC 2024 Competition” at the ICUAS Association, Inc 2024 conference in Crete on June 4th, 2024.
The workshop explored practical applications of heterogeneous robotic systems, integrating Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs). Attendees gained insights and solutions developed specifically for the MBZIRC competition.
Organizers included Prof. Tamara Petrović, Barbara Arbanas Ferreira Pascoal Ferreira, PhD, and Prof. Stjepan Bogdan.
Stay tuned for more!
Our LARICS members Antun Ivanovic and Goran Vaslijević will be holding a workshop Heterogeneous robotic system for inspection and intervention in GNSS-denied environments – experience from MBZIRC 2024 competition
supported by the HorizonEU project AeroSTREAM at the ICUAS Association, Inc 2024 conference on June 4th, 2024, in Crete!
We invite you to attend their lecture on the real-world application of heterogeneous robotic systems, featuring Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs). The workshop includes highlights such as solutions developed for the MBZIRC competition.
The workshop is organized by Prof. Tamara Petrović, Barbara Arbanas Ferreira Pascoal Ferreira, PhD, and Prof. Stjepan Bogdan.
📅 Date: June 4th, 2024
📍 Location: Crete, ICUAS 2024 Conference
🔗 More Info: https://lnkd.in/dyRK76yW
Join us to learn and network with experts in the field!
At the 5th International Conference on Electronic Engineering, Information Technology & Education (EEITE) held from May 29 to May 31, 2024, in Chania, Greece, Alen Šćuric and Denis Kotarski from the University of Zagreb's Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (UNIZG-FSB) presented two scientific papers:
1. "Conventional versus Reinforced Additive Manufacturing in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Design"
Authors: Nino Krznar, Tomislav Sancic, Alen Šćuric, Petar Piljek, Marko Pranjic, Denis Kotarski
2. "Design of Virtual Vehicle System with Mechanical Steering Response"
Authors: Alen Šćuric, Matija Krznar, Denis Kotarski
For more information, visit the conference website.
Robert Milijaš, a doctoral candidate at LARICS, recently completed a productive research trip to Seville, Spain. From April to May, 2024, Robert collaborated with the Universidad de Sevilla, specifically the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Industrial (School of Engineering), and the Robotics, Computer Vision, and Control Laboratory (GRVC). During his time in Seville, Robert focused on conducting experiments vital to his doctoral research as part of the AeroSTREAM project.
On May 28, 2024, Dr. Martin Saska presented F4F's Open Remote Laboratory at the Business Forum of the UAE Space Agency. This important event highlighted the capabilities of the laboratory, which is funded by the AeroSTREAM project. Dr. Saska's presentation emphasized our commitment to innovation and the role of the Open Remote Laboratory in advancing aerospace research and development.
The forum brought together a diverse audience of industry representatives and end-users, fostering meaningful interactions and discussions on potential collaborations. Dr. Saska's insights into the Open Remote Laboratory generated significant interest, creating opportunities for exciting partnerships that could enhance our industry.
Moreover, the event allowed us to explore several new areas of potential synergy, which could play a vital role in our mission to advance and transform the dynamic aerospace sector. Overall, the Business Forum was instrumental in fostering connections and promoting innovation in space exploration and technology, aligning perfectly with our vision for future growth and collaboration.
A new article, "Distributed Allocation and Scheduling of Tasks with Cross-Schedule Dependencies for Heterogeneous Multi-Robot Teams" by Barbara Arbanas Ferreira, Tamara Petrović, Matko Orsag, J. Ramiro Martinez de Dios, and Stjepan Bogdan, was published in IEEE Access on May 23rd.
This paper introduces a distributed task allocation and scheduling algorithm tailored for multi-robot systems, specifically addressing missions with closely linked temporal and precedence constraints. Leveraging a variant of the vehicle routing problem and employing a distributed metaheuristic algorithm (CBM-pop), the approach showcases enhanced computational speed and scalability while maintaining optimality. Its efficacy is demonstrated through a practical scenario of greenhouse maintenance.
Additionally, it is noted that this work is connected with the Aerostream and Specularia projects.
The article is available under the "Early Access" section on IEEE Xplore, and can be cited using its DOI: 10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3404823.
https://lnkd.in/dXkatpuj
⚡ A flashback to Fly4Future's activities in May:
Dr. Martin Saska, our co-founder and visionary, spoke at two prominent Saudi Arabian universities: Prince Sultan University in Riyadh and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran.
🌟 During his inspiring seminars on 🤖 Real-world applications of cooperative aerial robots (From marine operations to inspection of oil and gas infrastructure), he also introduced the 🚀 AeroSTREAM Open Remote Laboratory 🚀 to the distinguished students.
We hope to see some of them on one of our next experimental campaigns in South Bohemia.
See how the Open Remote Laboratory works! 👉 https://lnkd.in/eHazBtqc
Robert Milijaš, a doctoral candidate at LARICS, is currently immersed in his research trip to Seville, Spain. Collaborating closely with the Universidad de Sevilla, specifically the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Industrial (School of Engineering), and the Robotics, Computer Vision, and Control Laboratory (GRVC).
During his stay in Seville, Robert is diligently conducting experiments essential to his doctoral research. Additionally, he recently attended aerospace and defense meetings, such as the conference hosted by BCIAerospace (https://lnkd.in/eMU2Q-F), further enriching his understanding and involvement in his field of study.
Sanja Fosin, Project Manager from the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences at the University of Zagreb (Croatia), recently completed a successful short study visit to the Technological Corporation of Andalusia (CTA). The visit, held in person, focused on fostering collaboration within the AeroSTREAM project, alongside other initiatives.
The IEEE RAS ICRA 2024, held from May 13-17 in Yokohama, Japan, has once again established itself as one of the premier events in the field of robotics. Over 6000 scientists and experts from around the world gathered to share their latest research and advancements. Among the notable contributions were three articles coauthored by members of the Laboratory for Robotics and Intelligent Control Systems (LARICS).
Our Prof. Dr. Sc. Stjepan Bogdan will be participating in the workshop "Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Values" on May 22nd at the Institute of Philosophy. He will be presenting a lecture, contributing to the ongoing dialogue about the ethical implications of emerging technologies.
This event marks the continuation of collaboration with Dr. sc. Tomislav Bracanovic and Dr. sc. Viktor Ivanković from the Institute of Philosophy, who also contribute to the course "Ethics and New Technologies" at FER.
Stay tuned for more updates! 🚀✨
On May 16, 2024, the "Technology Readiness Levels" workshop was held in the Gray Hall at FER, organized by ICENT for HAMAG-BICRO - Croatian agency for SMEs, Innovations and Investments. As part of this workshop, prof. dr. sc. Stjepan Bogdan delivered a lecture on the application of Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) in the context of drone-based inspection systems.
IEEE RAS ICRA 2024, taking place from May 13-17 in Yokohama, Japan. ICRA stands as one of the largest events in the robotics field, gathering over 6000 scientists and experts from around the globe.
Three articles, coauthored by members of LARICS, will be presented.
Our co-founder and visionary, Dr. Martin Saska, has just given his talk on 🤖 "Closely Collaborating Teams of Agile Aerial Robots in the Wild" 🤖 and also introduced the AeroSTREAM Open Remote Laboratory to the ICRA2024 audience.
✨ This initiative allows researchers, students, and industry professionals worldwide to remotely access and conduct experiments on state-of-the-art robotic systems, fostering collaboration and accelerating innovation. The AeroSTREAM Open Remote Laboratory represents a significant step forward in the way research is conducted, enabling seamless knowledge sharing and the exchange of ideas across global boundaries.✨
👉 Learn more about the AeroSTREAM Open Remote Laboratory: https://lnkd.in/eHazBtqc
Dr. Martin Saska at MRS Group at FEE-CTU Prague 👉 https://lnkd.in/ekfqhnF3
From May 8 to 10, 2024, CTA (Corporación Tecnológica de Andalucía) participated in the Seville Science Fair, joining the Seville Space Forum’s stand to promote scientific knowledge and innovation. With an aim to revitalize science education in schools, create connections between educational centers and society, and break down social and gender barriers, CTA presented the AeroSTREAM project to thousands of young visitors. The fair, which attracted around 30,000 attendees from schools across Andalusia as well as families, provided a platform for CTA to inspire the next generation of scientists and innovators.
We had the pleasure of hosting a workshop on aerial robotics at the Science Festival in the Technical Museum. Held on Friday, April 26th, from 10:00 to 12:00, attendees had the opportunity to gain firsthand insights from Larics members Dario Stuhne, Marijana Peti, Juraj Oršulić, Doc. dr. sc. Goran Vasiljevic, and Izv. prof. dr. sc. Tamara Petrović. Stay tuned for updates on future events! For more information, visit the LARICS and AeroSTREAM websites.
Robert Milijaš, a doctoral candidate at LARICS, will soon be heading off on a research trip to Seville, Spain. Departing on April 27, 2024, and returning on May 25, 2024, Robert's trip is in collaboration with the Universidad de Sevilla of Seville, particularly the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Industrial Superior de Ingeniería (School of Engineering), and the Robotics, Computer Vision, and Control Laboratory (GRVC).
During his time in Seville, Robert will focus on conducting experiments crucial to his doctoral research as part of the AeroSTREAM project.
Join us at the Science Festival in the Technical Museum for a workshop on aerial robotics. The event will take place on Friday, April 26th, from 10:00 to 12:00. The workshop will be held by Larics members: Dario Stuhne, Marijana Peti, Doc. dr. sc. Goran Vasiljevicć, and Izv. prof. dr. sc. Tamara Petrović. Don't forget to visit Larics website and AeroSTREAM website for more information.
Last Thursday, April 18, 2024, the University of Rijeka hosted a roundtable discussion on "Strengthening Scientific Excellence" alongside an ERC Advanced Grant Information Day.
During the session, Professor Stjepan Bogdan shared insights from project applications at FER (Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing), discussing the influence of mentors, institutions, and the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport (MZO) on young researchers' project submissions.
Amsterdam Drone Week 2024, held from April 16 to 18, 2024, at RAI Amsterdam, brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and drone enthusiasts from over 60 countries. The event featured over 250 speakers and focused on the future of drones and urban mobility, with key discussions on global regulation, humanitarian applications, and commercial certification for drone operations.
AeroSTREAM team members exchanged experiences and contacts with other exhibitors, identifying potential future collaborations. Amsterdam Drone Week 2024 provided valuable opportunities for networking, knowledge sharing, and exploring potential partnerships. The event contributed to the growth and development of AeroSTREAM by providing insights into the latest trends and future directions of the drone industry.
LARICS members participated in MUZZA Science Week from April 12th to 14th! Attendees delved into captivating subjects like plant health measurement with electronic circuits, gaining insights into the technological advancements reshaping agriculture and environmental monitoring. They also enjoyed hands-on experiences with Aerial Robotics, witnessing drone demonstrations and piloting small Crazyflie drones, even assembling and flying their own. LARICS showcased their projects, ICSE Factory, and Aerostream.
The University of Zagreb's Faculty of Mechanical Engineering & Naval Architecture (UNIZG-FSB) recently concluded a successful research visit to Saxion University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. This collaboration took place in two parts: from April 10 to April 15, 2024, and from April 19 to April 26, 2024, focusing on multirotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
The UNIZG-FSB team, including Piljek Petar, Matija Krznar, and Denis Kotarski, worked alongside Saxion researchers from the Smart Mechatronics And RoboTics (SMART) Research Group and the ThermoPlastic Composites Application Center (TPAC). Key Saxion faculty included Prof. Abeje Mersha, Ayham Alharbat, Gerdine Meijer, and Prof. Ferrie van Hattum.
During the visit, the teams assembled and tested UAV prototypes, conducted experiments on various control methods, and performed indoor and outdoor localization experiments. Knowledge exchange occurred through guest lectures, and existing software repositories were updated.
This collaboration resulted in a strong partnership, valuable knowledge exchange, successful prototype assembly, and initial data collection for future research publications, marking significant progress in UAV technology and research.
Marko Križmančić, prof. dr. sc. Stjepan Bogdan, and Marijana Peti recently concluded their visit to the Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU) from April 10th to April 12th as part of the Aerostream project. During their visit, they had fruitful discussions with Martin Saska and Kristian Hengster-Movric-Movrić, focusing on idea exchange and exploring opportunities for future collaboration.
Join us at MUZZA Science Week from April 12th to 14th! Here's what's in store:
🌿 Dive into the world of plant health measurement with simple electronic circuits. Learn how technology is transforming agriculture and environmental monitoring.
🚁 Embark on an adventure with Aerial Robotics! Witness big drones in action and get hands-on experience by piloting small Crazyflie drones during breaks. You can even try assembling and piloting your own drone!
Join us at MUZZA Science Week with LARICS and ICSE Factory!
🌿Learn how to measure plant health with simple electronic circuits.
🚁 Dive into Aerial Robotics and discover aircraft operations and sensors with large aircraft featuring LiDAR and cameras. Don't miss the coordinated flights of small Crazyflie aircraft – you can even try piloting them during breaks!
See you there! #MUZZAScienceWeek #LARICS #ICSEFactory
Tarik Selimovic, alongside co-authors prof. dr. sc. Stjepan Bogdan and Marijana Peti, has recently published an article titled "Multi-Agent Active Perception Based on Reinforcement Learning and POMDP" in IEEE Access.
T. Selimović, M. Peti and S. Bogdan, "Multi-Agent Active Perception Based on Reinforcement Learning and POMDP," in IEEE Access, vol. 12, pp. 48004-48016, 2024, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2024.3383544.
The Selection Meeting for the IFRoS Master's Program was held in Zagreb from the 4th to the 5th of March! 🎓📚
The IFROS consortium from the three universities (Universitat de Girona, University of Zagreb / Sveučilište u Zagrebu, and Eötvös Loránd University) came together to evaluate the applications.
Marko Križmančić, Stjepan Bogdan, and Marijana Peti are planning to visit the Czech Technical University in Prague Technical University (CTU) in Prague from April 10th to April 12th as part of the Aerostream project. They will meet with Martin Saska and Kristian Hengster-Movric-Movrić for idea exchange and future collaboration discussions.
Stay tuned for updates!
Professors Stjepan Bogdan and Zdenko Kovačić were featured presenters at the ERF conference held in Rimini, Italy, from March 13th to 15th. Stjepan Bogdan's presentation, titled "Information Gain-Based Autonomous Exploration Using UAVs," demonstrated his expertise in drone technology.
Additionally, Stjepan actively participated as a panelist during a workshop, offering valuable insights.
Professors Zdenko Kovacic and Stjepan Bogdan are currently at the European Robotics Forum (ERF) 2024 in Rimini, Italy, representing the AeroStream project from March 13th to 15th.
Furthermore, Stjepan Bogdan will be delivering a presentation on navigating drones in challenging environments, leveraging his expertise in drone technology. As a panelist during the workshop, Stjepan will offer valuable insights.
A delegation from the University of Sarajevo recently participated in Tech Show London, held on 6-7 March 2024. The event, which attracted over 14,850 attendees and 300 exhibitors, focused on cutting-edge advancements in AI, big data, and robotics.
Key themes relevant to the University's AeroSTREAM project included AI-driven data analytics, decision intelligence, and emerging data platforms. Participants explored the transformative role of AI in business, including its application in unmanned aerial systems for real-time data processing.
The event provided valuable networking opportunities and insights on technology strategy, leadership, and workforce evolution, offering fresh ideas for future collaboration with industry.
We're thrilled to announce that Professors Zdenko Kovacic and Stjepan Bogdan will be attending the esteemed European Robotics Forum (ERF) 2024 in Rimini, Italy, from March 13th to 15th as part of the AeroStream project.
Dario Stuhne and Dean Martinović, LARICS members, participated in the immersive Learning Expedition from February 22nd to 23rd, 2024. Hosted by the AEROSTREAM and IN-TRANSIT projects, this expedition welcomed European SMEs from textile, construction, and advanced manufacturing sectors to explore the dynamic Andalusian Aerospace Sector. With AEROSTREAM's collaboration, the event fostered invaluable partnerships and opened doors to potential collaborations for European SMEs. Our team also had the privilege of visiting Fundación Andaluza para el Desarrollo Aeroespacial CATEC, a leading aerospace technology center in Europe, and delving into insights from various companies within the Andalucía Aerospace Cluster.
Fly4Future's presentation of the AeroSTREAM Open Remote Laboratory at UVS-Oman 2024 in Muscat was a great success. ✨ The keynote speech by Dr. Martin Saska was followed by a workshop and was well received by graduate students and the local business community.
Attendees appreciated the possibilities that the Aerostream initiative is opening up to researchers all over the world for remote UAV experimentation in real-world situations.
Everyone can join us on this extraordinary journey of discovery and innovation.👉 Learn more about the AeroSTREAM Open Remote Laboratory: https://lnkd.in/eTRxi5ae
The two-day conference, which took place in Zagreb on February 14 and 15, marked the start of the Scinergy project, which the Innovation Center Nikola Tesla (ICENT) is implementing in cooperation with the Ministry of Science and Education and the World Bank to encourage stronger cooperation between industry and science in order to increase the innovation and competitiveness of the Croatian economy. The conference attracted numerous business and scientific communities, investors and decision-makers.
Today marks Day 1 of the Learning Expedition in Seville! The agenda includes an insightful Andalusia Aerospace Cluster presentation at CTA facilities, followed by visits to Industry Puerto de Santa María and TITANIA at Tecnobahia, El Puerto de Santa María.
We're thrilled to have our adventurers, Dario Stuhne and Dean Martinović, on the ground to provide us with firsthand impressions from the expedition.
Renowned keynote speaker Martin Saska was featured at the 2nd International Conference on Unmanned Vehicle Systems (UVS-Oman 2024), organized by the College of Engineering at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). He delivered a lecture titled "Towards Agile Swarms of UAVs in the Wild" and conducted a workshop on Tightly Cooperating Aerial Vehiclesin Real-world Environment. Throughout both engagements, Martin actively promoted Open Lab initiative. The conference took place from February 12th to 14th.
We are delighted to announce that Antonella Barišić Kulaš will be presenting the paper titled "Bio-inspired Visual Relative Localization for Large Swarms of UAVs" at the 2024 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA). The conference is scheduled to take place from May 13-17, 2024, in Yokohama, Japan.
This paper, authored by Martin Krížek, Matouš Vrba, Antonella Barišić Kulaš, Stjepan Bogdan, and Martin Saska, introduces a pioneering approach to visual perception for relative localization within extensive UAV swarms. The research draws inspiration from the perceptual strategies utilized by schools of sardines, swarms of bees, and other large decentralized groups of animals.
This work represents a collaborative effort with the Czech Technical University in Prague, showcasing innovative strides in UAV swarm technology and bio-inspired robotics.
Dario Stuhne and Dr.-Ing. Dean Martinović, members of LARICS, will attend the Learning Expedition in Seville from February 22nd to 23rd, 2024. This expedition invites European SMEs from textile, construction, and advanced manufacturing sectors to explore the Andalusian Aerospace Sector through the AEROSTREAM and IN-TRANSIT projects. AEROSTREAM's co-organization of the event aims to strengthen cooperation with partners and improve European SMEs' access to potential collaborations. Additionally, AEROSTREAM partners will visit Fundación Andaluza para el Desarrollo Aeroespacial CATEC, one of Europe's premier aerospace technology centers, and learn about various companies and the Andalucía Aerospace Cluster.
In celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, two inspiring workshops were held on February 13, 2024, in Granada and on March 21, 2024, in Mairena del Aljarafe, Seville. Organized by CTA, the sessions aimed to engage young students with the field of autonomous aerial systems and introduce them to the future opportunities available in science and technology.
On January 31, 2024, the Nikola Tesla Association Karlovac, in collaboration with the Nikola Tesla Experience Center, hosted an event titled *"AERIAL ROBOTICS - Applications and Potentials"* in Karlovac, Croatia. The lecture, delivered by Denis Kotarski, aimed to introduce the audience to the current applications and the future potential of aerial robots, commonly known as drones.
The event, which was attended by 21 participants from Croatia, featured a comprehensive lecture followed by an engaging Q&A session. The audience actively participated, demonstrating keen interest in the diverse uses of aerial robotics in fields such as agriculture, disaster management, and surveillance.
Participants highlighted the educational value of the session and the exciting prospects for aerial robotics in various sectors. The event successfully raised awareness and sparked curiosity about the growing impact of drone technology.
Abu Dhabi, UAE – January 27-29, 2024 – The University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (UNIZG-FER) participated in the prestigious UMEX 2024 (Unmanned System Exhibition and Conference) in Abu Dhabi, showcasing its advanced research and development in aerial robotics. The event, held from January 27th to 29th, also coincided with the MBZIRC (Mohamed Bin Zayed International Robotics Challenge), where the UNIZG-FER team actively competed.
UMEX 2024, a leading global platform for unmanned systems, robotics, and artificial intelligence, brought together innovators from around the world. At their dedicated booth, the UNIZG-FER team, led by Goran Vasiljević, presented a variety of groundbreaking applications in aerial robotics. These innovations underscored the university's commitment to pushing the boundaries of technology in fields such as drone-based surveillance, precision agriculture, search-and-rescue operations, and autonomous navigation.
The exhibition allowed UNIZG-FER to engage with global industry leaders, potential collaborators, and governmental representatives, offering insights into the latest technological trends and fostering opportunities for future partnerships. Their participation in both the exhibition and the high-stakes MBZIRC robotics competition solidified UNIZG-FER’s standing as a key player in the rapidly evolving field of unmanned aerial systems.
On Tuesday, January 16, 2024, the first review meeting for the AeroSTREAM project took place, marking a significant milestone in the project's progress. The project is funded under the Horizon Europe sub-programme 'Widening participation and spreading excellence' - European Excellence Initiative. During the session, the consortium presented an overview of all activities conducted within the project to the project officer, Agne Dobranskyte-Niskota, and to the external monitor.
The meeting was successful, and the consortium received valuable feedback from both the project officer and the monitor. It was a pleasure to host everyone in Zagreb and to lay the groundwork for successful future project activities and collaborations.
The Laboratory for Robotics and Intelligent Control Systems (LARICS) (projects IFROS and AeroSTREAM) hosted a lecture:
"Applications of Multi-Agent Consensus Protocols for Social Network Opinion Dynamics" delivered by FER alumnus Assoc. Prof. Kristian Hengster-Movrić, Czech Technical University, Prague.
The lecture was held on Thursday, January 4th, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. in room A204 at FER. It was conducted in English and was open to all interested parties. The duration of the lecture was 90 minutes. The speaker's biography and lecture abstract were provided in the invitation.
Stjepan Bogdan, Tamara Petrović, Antonella Barišić from the University of Zagreb FER, our IFRoS Master consortium partners, visited Eötvös Loránd University Faculty of Informatics ELTE IK. Over two days, we had a comprehensive agenda featuring presentations on research projects and activities, demonstrations, along with lectures covering "Introduction to Aerial Robotics - Theory, Hardware, and Software."
The event provided a great platform for discussions, allowing us to explore potential collaborations in the future. Looking forward to strengthening our partnership further.
The Interest Group of Young Professionals and the Laboratory for Robotics and Intelligent Control Systems (LARICS, Aerostream project) hosted a lecture titled "Artificial Intelligence in Aerial Manipulation" by Filip Zorić, MSc.Eng. from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb. The event took place on Monday, December 11, 2023, at 11:00 AM at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Rijeka.
The lecture, conducted in the Croatian language, had a duration of 90 minutes. It was open to all interested parties, with a special invitation extended to undergraduate and graduate students. Additional information about the lecture and the lecturer can be found in the detailed content of the announcement.
On December 8, 2023, FTTS and ICENT organized a round table titled *"Innovation in AAS Application Area in Logistics"* in Zagreb, Croatia. The event brought together industry leaders and experts to discuss the latest developments and challenges in the use of Autonomous Aerial Systems (AAS) in logistics. The session aimed to assess the current state of innovation, identify gaps, and explore strategies for future advancements in the field.
Zagreb, December 8, 2023 — FlyROS hosted an expert talk at ZIRP 2023, where speaker Javier Gil introduced the APIBOT project, an innovative solution for automating airport runway inspections. The project, part of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 initiative, aims to improve runway maintenance by using UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) integrated with Artificial Intelligence.
Presented online, the event highlighted APIBOT’s vision for transforming airport operations with automation and was well-received for showcasing real-world applications of UAV technology in critical infrastructure. The project was part of the RIMA Network, supporting robotics for inspection and maintenance.
Within the AeroSTREAM project a workshop „On Creativity, Innovation and Patenting“ was held on 7th of December 2023. Mr. Kemal Delic from Hewlet Packarda was a workshop trainer. This short lecture has introduced the esoteric field of Creativity and discussed its relevance to Innovation. This is the process of creating novel, non-obvious, and useful ideas. In the most pragmatic sense, Patenting is the practice of providing legal coverage and/or monopoly for carefully selected, distinctive ideas.
AeroSTREAM members visited USE installations in Seville on December 1, 2023. Organized by USE, the event featured speaker José Ramiro Martínez de Dios. Attendees received a tour of USE installations, including "ETSI’s Laboratories" and the "Torricelli Facility," aimed at sharing project knowledge. Participants received a quick tour of various USE facilities, with detailed explanations from Ramiro about USE's projects, research areas, and project results.
From November 27 to 30, 2023, researchers from the University of Zagreb's Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences (UNIZG-FTTS) — Tomislav Radišić, Ivan Tukarić, and Kristina Samardžić — attended the SESAR Innovation Days (SID 2023) conference in Seville, Spain, as part of the AeroStream project. The event, hosted by the University of Seville's Faculty of Engineering, brought together around 450 European researchers and was supported by SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking (SESAR 3 JU), along with partners such as ENAIRE, Indra, AENA, and Ryanair.
As one of the leading air traffic management (ATM) conferences in Europe, SID 2023 featured discussions on various ATM topics, with a strong focus on drone traffic management. This issue has become a priority for the European ATM research community, reflecting the growing impact of drones on airspace. ENAIRE spokesperson Maria Luz de Mateo highlighted that the innovative ideas exchanged at SID 2023 will be key in shaping future solutions for safer aviation.
For more information, visit the official event website at https://www.sesarju.eu/SIDS2023.
On November 29, 2023, Antonella Barisic Kulas, researcher and PhD student of Laboratory for Robotics and Intelligent Control Systems (LARICS), delivered an insightful lecture at RIT Croatia. This event was a part of the AeroSTREAM initiative, which aims to foster connections among students and researchers while promoting knowledge sharing and future collaborative opportunities.
Project AEROSTREAM joined the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing's Open Day on November 25. The event welcomed many visitors, mainly graduates and students, providing a platform to engage with FER faculty and staff, discuss training opportunities, study programs, and explore various projects and initiatives.
As part of the AeroSTREAM project's collaborative efforts, a series of expert visits were conducted, enhancing knowledge exchange and partnership development. On November 23rd, 2023, Sarajevo welcomed notable experts in aerospace technology. José Ramiro from USE-FRS shared insights on autonomous systems integration, while Abeje Mersha of SAX focused on advanced propulsion technologies. Additionally, Chiara Gabellieri of UT explored cutting-edge navigation systems. The visit by Juan Manuel Marredo Píriz from CATEC further enriched discussions on aerial vehicle design and testing methodologies. These expert exchanges contribute significantly to advancing research and innovation within the AeroSTREAM project.
The round table “The Status of the Innovation Ecosystem in HEIs in Croatia, within the AeroSTREAM project, was held on 16th of November 2023.
The aim of the round table was to explore funding mechanisms, the role and assistance of the technology transfer office, cooperation with industry and strategies for the commercialization of research from higher education institutions in the Republic of Croatia. Roundtable participants shared their experiences and practices, providing guidance for improving innovation support in higher education institutions in Croatia.
During the round table, there was a panel discussion on the possibilities of improving innovation support in Higher education institutions in Croatia, and the panelists were: Ana Varjačić, Ministry of Science and Education, Vlatka Petrović, Center for Research, Development and Technology Transfer, University of Zagreb, Nataša Jakominić Marot, University Center for Research and Innovation, University of Rijeka, Mirjana Dozan, Research Support Center, FER, Tamara Aleksandrov, Center for Technology Transfer, FSB.
The moderator of the panel was Davorka Moslavac Forjan from Innovation center Nikola Tesla (ICENT).
Please find the presentations from the round table below:
Stjepan Bogdan has been named a member of the International Committee for the Development of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). Serving from 2021 to 2025, he will contribute to advancing intelligent transport systems in road traffic and improving connections with other modes of transportation.
His expertise will support the committee's efforts in promoting and monitoring ITS development during this period.
On November 23rd in Sarajevo, a series of expert training sessions were held:
- UAVs Simulation I, FlyROS led by Juan Manuel Marredo Píriz from CATEC
- Formatting and Writing Formal Scientific and Technical Documents by María Jiménez Portaz of CTA
- Project Management Basics also by María Jimenez Portaz
- Dissemination in EU Projects by Marta González Danta
- Horizon Europe and Lump Sum Fundamentals, both facilitated by María Jiménez Portaz of CTA.
These sessions were conducted within the framework of the AeroSTREAM project, underscoring its commitment to excellence in research and innovation.
Filip, Aldin, Tomislav, and Mihael are visiting the Agile Manufacturing Lab in Albuquerque, NM. It is a joint lab between The University of New Mexico and the Air Force Research Laboratory focused on Space robotics led by Prof. Rafael Fierro. 🚀
During the two weeks, they will collaborate with a UNM/AFRL team on a research project that aims to repair broken satellites in orbit by using robotics and AI. Besides that, they will visit a number of companies in the surrounding area to establish new partnerships with the U.S. companies. 🎉
#unm #afrl #albuquerque #newmexico #spacerobotics #AI #aeroSTREAM
Researchers from the Center for Technology and Aerospace (CTA) and the University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (UNIZG-FER) have jointly published a paper on AeroSTREAM, an autonomous aerial system. Presented at the 16th annual International Conference of Education, Research, and Innovation in Seville, Spain, the paper outlines their integrated collaborative framework. The focus is on strengthening research, innovation, and industry cooperation in the field of autonomous aerial systems. This collaborative effort underscores the commitment to advancing technology and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration in the aerospace industry.
Within the AeroSTREAM project, on 16th of November 2023, from 11:00 to 13:00 CET in the Gray Hall of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in Zagreb, a round table "The Status of the Innovation Ecosystem in HEIs in Croatia" will be held.
On November 7th, 2023, the AeroSTREAM Project Consortium Meeting convened in Sarajevo, with participants representing institutions such as UNIZG-FER, USE, CTA, UNISA, UT, FlyROS, Fly4Future, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Protostar, UNIZG-FTTS, UNIZG-FSB, CATEC, and ICENT.
On December 7, 2023, ICENT hosted a round table titled *"Innovation in AAS Application Area – Academic Approach"* in Zagreb, Croatia. The event brought together experts from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to discuss the current state of the innovation ecosystem in the area of Autonomous Aerial Systems (AAS). The goal was to assess capabilities, identify gaps and challenges, and explore strategies for advancing innovation and collaboration in the AAS sector.
On November 6, 2023, a thought-provoking panel discussion took place in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, organized by UNISA and ICENT. The event gathered experts to discuss the current state of the innovation ecosystem within higher education institutions (HEIs) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing on capabilities, challenges, and strategies for future advancement and collaboration.
The University of Sarajevo became part of the European university initiative called EUPeace (European University for Peace, Justice, and Inclusive Societies). The main mission of the EUPeace alliance/network is to increase the effects of internationalization under the prefix of nurturing a peaceful, just and inclusive European society, at different levels. The activities of the programme includes: 1. transforming curricula, 2. internationalisation of Teacher Education, 3. facilitating mobility, 4. establishing an inclusive European campus, 5. building a world-class research hub, and 6. developing the EUPeace Living Peace Lab Flagship Action as a platform for civic community engagement. The EUPeace Alliance consists of nine European universities, including University of Marburg (Germany) - coordinator, Comillas Ponteficia University of Madrid (Spain), Çukurova University of Adana (Turkey), University of Giessen (Germany), University of Calabria (Italy), University of Limoges (France),
University of Mostar (BiH), University of Sarajevo (BiH), and University of West Bohemia (Czech Republic).
In this way, The University of Sarajevo, as an AeroSTREAM member, continues the long-standing tradition of inter-university cooperation for the development of a culture of dialogue and the promotion of peace.
Ana Milas PhD candidate will participate in the Mobility Program – Outgoing Mobility of Assistants (MOBDOK-2023). This international mobility willbe in Seville, Spain, from October 30th to November 29th, spanning a total of 31 days.
In a recent event, a hands-on workshop titled "Indoor Localization using OptiTrack, PX4 Autopilot, and ROS 2" was presented at the Karlovac University of Applied Sciences in Karlovac, Croatia. The workshop was conducted by Ayham Alharbat in collaboration with Thijs Hof and represented the Mechatronics Research Group of Saxion University of Applied Sciences and the Robotics and Mechatronics (RaM) Lab at the University of Twente.
This engaging workshop was an integral part of the Horizon-Europe AeroSTREAM project. The event was a success, and Ayham Alharbat expressed gratitude to the hosts in Croatia for their warm hospitality, particularly mentioning Denis Kotarski, Petar Piljek, Tamara Petrović, and Stjepan Bogdan, and to PhD supervisors, Chiara Gabellieri, Antonio Franchi, and Abeje Y. Mersha, for making this opportunity possible. The event also highlighted the contributions of the PX4 Autopilot development team and their community.
Two code repositories [1] [2], and document were created, as part of the training.
The Innovation Centre Nikola Tesla presented the KITT4SME project at the AI2Future conference held on the 19th and 20th of October 2023. AI2FUTURE is a cornerstone event in the Croatian AI domain. The event was hosted by CroAI association, which is dedicated to empowering the AI ecosystem and it serves as a dynamic platform, uniting a community engaged in AI, including those working in, utilizing, or aspiring to enter the AI sphere.
The event encompassed essential AI trends and tools, presentations on impactful research, successful tech and business case studies, and in-depth exploration of cutting-edge tech projects. This provided engineers and AI developers with the means to stay current with the latest advancements in AI, derive best practices, seek expert insights, and find potential partners to explore AI applications. The event also held an exhibition area where the KITT4SME was represented in the ICENT Booth.
The AEROSTREAM was presented by the Innovation Center Nikola Tesla at the first technology fair “Digital transformation of the economy – DTG_4.0” in Varaždin, organized by the Croatian Chamber of Commerce – Varaždin County Chamber.
The fair is designed as a gathering place for manufacturing companies, as well as companies and institutions specializing in services and products from the domain of INDUSTRY 4.0. Covering production planning, automation and robotics, the fair attracted the attention of 24 exhibitors. Along with AEROSTREAM the Innovation Center Nikola Tesla presented its projects focused on the development of innovations, new technologies and the encouragement of entrepreneurship.
The projects attracted significant interest from the visitors who showed great interest in innovations and technological advances in Industry 4.0. The Innovation Center Nikola Tesla continues to support entrepreneurs and the competitiveness of the Croatian economy through the promotion of technological progress and the development of innovative solutions.
Within the AeroSTREAM project a Webinar “Cascade Funding – METASTAR & IN-TRANSIT projects” will be organized on 17th of October 2023 from 09 -10 CET on MS Teams.
Within the AeroSTREAM project, on October 13, 2023, an innovation training PR and digital marketing was held at the Karlovac University of Applied Sciences. The training was led by Matej Radinić from the company Panda Komunikacije.
During the training, the participants got an insight into the best practices of communication on social networks, with a specific focus on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. The training provided attendees with insights into web content creation and management, highlighting common content creation mistakes and offering guidance on producing high-quality content. Additionally, participants received valuable tips for building an effective website to promote their companies.
A part of the training was dedicated to social network analytics. This part explained what to look for in analytics, how to measure data accurately, and how to interpret the numbers effectively. Participants also received practical guidelines on crafting compelling posts for their chosen social networks.
Martin Saska from the Czech Technical University delivered a keynote address at the IEEE Latin American Robotics Symposium/Brazilian Robotics Symposium (LARS/SBR) 2023 held in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil from October 9th to 11th. His presentation highlighted advancements in robotics research, marking a significant event in the conference's agenda.
Filip Zorić participated at the IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) held in Detroit, USA from October 1st-5th, 2023.
At the conference, Filip zorić presented an article written in collaboration with the University of Seville, called Performance Comparison of Teleoperation Interfaces for Ultra-lightweight Anthropomorphic Arms, where the authors are: Filip Zorić, Alejandro Suarez, Goran Vasiljević, Matko Orsag, Zdenko Kovačić and Anibal Ollero.
See more details about the article check out this video.
In a recent event, the AeroSTREAM project partners gathered during IROS 2023 in Detroit. This engaging and inspiring meeting provided a platform to discuss the diverse activities encompassed within the AeroSTREAM project.
IROS 2023, an event that has already taken place, offered a remarkable backdrop for the presentation and promotion of various project endeavors. Among the highlights was the AeroSTREAM Open Remote Laboratory, an innovative initiative that allows participants to remotely conduct real-world experiments using actual UAVs, and the best part is, it's free for all participants.
The AeroSTREAM members from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering Sarajevo (UNISA-ETF), Mehmed Brkić and Tarik Pozderac, together with some of their faculty colleagues and students, attended the 6th Western Balkan Digital Summit, October 4-5, 2023. The summit also involved a variety of ministers from Western Balkan countries who discussed digital achievements in the region.
From September 25-28, 2023, CATEC participated in the Airspace Integration Congress, held at IFEMA in Madrid, Spain, as part of Expodrónica 2023. With over 200 attendees, the event served as an industry fair for airspace technologies. CATEC hosted a booth, where we showcased our latest drone technologies and innovations, engaging with industry professionals and potential partners.
CATEC's team delivered two key presentations: the first on new technologies for highly autonomous drones, and the second, in collaboration with AIRBUS, on the AGORA project. Attendees responded enthusiastically, praising the clarity of our presentations and showing strong interest in future collaborations.
Our AeroSTREAM member, Mehmed Brkić, from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering Sarajevo, University of Sarajevo, attended the DroneX, London UK, 26-27 September 2023, which is considered the UK and Europe’s largest event dedicated to the UAV industry. DroneX brings together different stakeholders from commercial, military and modern flight industry sectors, as well as key innovators.
During his stay, Mr. Brkić met many colleagues from the UAV sector learning about the current technology, products and services offered at the market. He also took a chance to disseminate the AeroSTREAM project information, its goals, the current interests and scope of work of the partner institutions involved in the project. As a result, Mr. Brkić secured potential partnerships with industry end-users for the planned next Horizon Europe project proposals in relation to autonomous aerial vehicle research.
Supported by the "Employability and Jobs of the Future" project, organized by SOS Children's Villages Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the AeroSTREAM project, a visit to Zagreb was arranged for high school students, technical college students, and teachers. During this trip, the participants visited the "Nikola Tesla Technical Museum," the "Chocolate Museum," and a few research laboratories located at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing at the University of Zagreb.
The second edition of AeroSTREAM Summer School was hel from 4th to 6th of July, and here's a glimpse into the action-packed days in Prague!
The core focus? Exploring various robotic realms such as motion planning for decision-making agents, aerial swarm dynamics, and the fusion of multi-sensors for precise localization and navigation.
But that's not all! We had dedicated time for AeroSTREAM activities, including brainstorming sessions on Aerostream research initiatives and seminars about real-world applications tackled within the AeroSTREAM project.
The Aeronautical Technical Association in Zagreb Rudolf Perešin, organized event "SUSRET ZA RUDIJA“, that is dedicated to the memory of a pilot in the Croatian Air Force, Rudolf Perešin. This year's 26th "SUSRETI ZA RUDIJA" took place on September 10, 2023, in Gornja Stubica. This event has become a significant social and cultural event in the Croatia and the largest and most visited aviation event in the country. The Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences participated in the airshow and was involved in both the aerial and ground segments of the program. All interested individuals had the opportunity to become acquainted with unmanned aerial vehicles developed, designed, and operated at the faculty, along with other interesting content.
Marko Križmančić, a scientist from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing at the University of Zagreb, visited Sarajevo and delivered a presentation about LARICS' participation in the International Robotics Challenge in Abu Dhabi (MBZIRC). The presentation was part of the AeroStream project and was intended for his partners from AeroStream1 company and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Sarajevo, and it was attended by professors, doctoral candidates, and master's students.
Our UNISA-ETF AeroSTREAM members, Mehmed Brkić and Tarik Pozderac, visited the 50th Plum Fair in Gradačac, organised during 23-26 August 2023. During the fair, they shared the exhibition space with professors and assistants from the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Sarajevo, and had the opportunity to present the AeroSTREAM project with agriculture as one of the three main strategic fields addressed in the project. The main idea was to show the potential of drones equipped with cameras for different agricultural operations.
Filip Zorić engaged in a month-long study visit to the University of Twente's Robotics and Mechatronics Group (RAM) from July to August. During this extensive visit, Zorić actively collaborated with Professor Antonio Franchi's team as part of the AeroStream project, which centered on the autonomous collection of floating waste through visual perception.
The outcome of this productive visit materialized in the form of a written scientific article, unveiling the concept of autonomous waste collection utilizing multi-rotor aircraft. More details about the autonomous waste collection utilizing multi-rotor aircraft can be seen on this video.
On 12th of July LARICS researcher Marko Car successfully defended his doctoral dissertation and received a PhD degree in Electrical Engineering. Marko’s thesis is entitled "Control system for an unmanned aerial manipulator interacting with the environment based on a generalized model". Member of the PhD commite was prof. Adnan Tahirović a partner form University of Sarajevo and partner on AeroSTREAM project. Congratulations Marko!
LARICS PhD student Marko Križmančić participated at the 2023 International Conference on Information, Communication and Automation Technologies (ICAT) in Sarajevo, where his paper "Decentralized Multi-Robot Formation Control Using Reinforcement Learning. Obradovic, J.; Krizmancic, M.; and Bogdan, S." was presented. In addition to this, Marko gave a talk at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Sarajevo, about UNIZ-FER experience in MBZIRC competitions. The talk was very well received by the University of Sarajevo master students and researchers.
In May 2023, a short-term visit occurred, involving the University of Sarajevo's Faculty of Electrical Engineering (UNISA-ETF) and the Multi-Robot Systems Group at the Czech Technical University (CTU), as well as Fly4Future (F4F). The purpose of this visit was to facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange in the field of multi-agent systems.
The guest staff member, Mehmed Brkic, a PhD student from UNISA-ETF, visited from May 15 to May 26, 2023, with the main goal of establishing connections with researchers from the MRS group and Fly4Future and initiating knowledge sharing.
On April 18, 2023, Infobip's Alpha Centauri campus played host to the annual Innovation Day. This event marked the culmination of the School of the Future project, organized by start-up STEMI and Infobip, with crucial support from their main partner, A1 Croatia. The Innovation Day drew an impressive crowd of over 700 visitors, primarily composed of primary and secondary school students, as well as the general public.
From June 3rd to 4th, 2023, the Youth House in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, played host to a dynamic and inclusive exhibition, Maker Fair. Originally founded in 2006 by the editors of Make: magazine in the San Francisco Bay Area, Maker Fair has become a global network of independently produced events that celebrate the creativity and ingenuity of makers of all ages.
Join us for the IEEE RAS Summer School 2023 in Prague! Following the success of our previous schools, we are excited to bring you another immersive learning experience. Held from July 3-7, 2023, at Czech Technical University, this year's focus is on Multi-Robot Systems.
The AeroSTREAM meeting took place online on June 12, 2023. During the meeting, Professor Stjepan Bogdan provided an overview of the project's inaugural year and introduced the plan for the upcoming six-month activities.
Filip Zorić attended the ICUAS 2023 conference where he presented his scientific paper H2AMI: Intuitive Human to Aerial Manipulator Interface.
The 2023 International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS 2023) took place from June 6th to 9th at Lazarski University in Warsaw, Poland. The conference centered on three key themes: reconfigurable aerial platforms, multi-purpose/hybrid aerial platforms, and regulations and standards for autonomy.
FER and FSB presented an article at the ICUAS 2023 conference titled Design and Prototyping of a Ground-Aerial Robotic System.
The 2023 International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS 2023) took place from June 6th to 9th at Lazarski University in Warsaw, Poland. The conference centered on three key themes: reconfigurable aerial platforms, multi-purpose/hybrid aerial platforms, and regulations and standards for autonomy.
LARICS PhD student Marijana Peti published an article Decentralized Coordination of Multi-Agent Systems Based on POMDPs and Consensus for Active Perception in scientific journal IEEE Access on 2nd of June 2023.
Mr. Amir Nakić and Mr. Ibrahim Alispahić, master students from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Sarajevo have participated in the qualifiers for the second edition of the Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle (UAV) Competition organized by the committee of the International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS 2023). They have represented both the Faculty of Electrical Engineering Sarajevo, UNSA, and the AeroSTREAM project. Amir worked on navigation, 3D mapping, and motion planning problems, while Ibrahim was responsible for the second one, dealing with image processing and pattern recognition.
While the AeroSTREAM team, unfortunately, didn't advance to the final competition round, both Amir and Ibrahim have been satisfied with the progress they made towards the solution and, especially, with the knowledge they gained during the two months of work in a variety of fields, including ROS, Python, Gazebo, motion planning and pattern recognition. In addition to this, Amir and Ibrahim will join LARICS & CATEC team at ICUAS in Warsaw in June 2023 to learn more about competition organization and running.
In May 2023, a short-term visit took place involving the University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (UNIZG-FER) and Czech Technical University (CTU) with a focus on the Multi-Robot Systems Group and Fly4Future (F4F). The primary objective of this visit was to extend the application of drone detection to various other areas, including multi-robot localization, and to accumulate diverse datasets for these purposes.
The guest staff member, Antonella Barišić, a PhD student from UNIZG-FER, engaged in this visit, which occurred from May 8 to June 2, 2023. The expected outcomes of the visit were to gain a deeper understanding of projects and applications that demand drone detection and to enhance existing approaches through the utilization of newly generated datasets.
The 24th edition of the PhD Café took place on May 31st at Booksa, where four young researchers, future doctors of science from the field of technical sciences, presented their research. Among them was Ana Milas and she presented her research titled: Discovering the unknown: application of drones in space exploration.
A delegation from the University of Lisabon visited University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing on 26th of May 2023 within their week-long visit to University Computing Centre SRCE. Since the Unievrsity of Lisabon is a member of European University Alliance Unite! University Network for Innovation, Technology and Engineering, this was the opportunity to share knowledge about the forms of their participation in the alliance.
Kristina Samardzic participated the final testing of scenarios for the Aerial-Core project took place at the CATEC Atlas Center on May 23 and 24. It was an interesting experience to witness how such testing scenarios were conducted.
Fly4Future's participation in the ICRA 2023 exhibition marked a significant collaboration with the ICRA committee, research institutions, and industry partners. The event, held at ExCeL London from May 29 to June 2, 2023, attracted distinguished speakers from the robotics and automation field, including experts from various prestigious institutions.
Protostar Labs (PRL) participated in the "New capabilities and countries in European Space Conference 2023" organized by the Capability and Country Support Division within the European Space Agency (ESA). This conference brought together a diverse range of organizations and enterprises within the space technology sector. While not directly related to the AeroSTREAM project, this event was valuable for PRL as it offered insights into the latest advancements in space technology, which have connections to autonomous aerial systems, the focus of AeroSTREAM. Attending the conference also provided networking opportunities and the potential for future collaborations with professionals from different countries, which can benefit the AeroSTREAM project.
The event took place at ESA/ESTEC (European Space Research and Technology Centre) in Noordwijk, Netherlands, from May 23 to 24. It featured a variety of thematic sessions showcasing the capabilities and achievements of entities from different categories, networking opportunities, a poster session for potential partners, training course sessions tailored to smaller entities' needs, and ESA presentations on current and future program needs and opportunities in the space sector.
DroneDays, a two-day workshop dedicated to unmanned aerial vehicles, took place on May 4th and 5th, 2023, in Zagreb, Croatia. The event featured keynote lectures, an exhibition area, and flight demonstrations, with a primary focus on the applications of unmanned aerial vehicles and their relevance to end-user industries. This workshop served as a meeting point for experts from both industry and academia, end-users, and regulatory bodies in the region.
This year's edition of DroneDays was closely related to three specific AeroSTREAM application areas: forestry, agriculture, and logistics. The lectures and content were tailored to these domains, with invitations extended to relevant end-users to participate in the event. Additionally, DroneDays provided a platform for AeroSTREAM wHEI (Western Higher Education Institutions) researchers to showcase their research topics and results. This was achieved through lectures by wHEI researchers, an AeroSTREAM and UNIZG-FER LARICS stand in the exhibition area, as well as participation in flight demonstrations that were open to the public.
The Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences (FTTS) at the University of Zagreb participated in the MUZZA Science Fair from May 19 to May 21, 2023, held at the Zagreb Fair. Their involvement in this science fair was a testament to their commitment to advancing scientific knowledge, particularly in the field of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
The lecture provided an excellent starting point for those eager to delve into the complexities of drone flight. Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions, fostering a stimulating exchange of ideas and insights. By combining practical demonstrations with informative lectures, the FTTS effectively bridged the gap between theory and practice, creating an educational experience that left a lasting impact on all participants.
In April 2023, the University of Sarajevo (UNISA) actively participated in the UNESCO Annual World Culture Heritage Youth Symposium, held in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The event, which took place from the 26th to the 30th of April, involved researchers from UNISA and targeted secondary school students and the general public.
The central theme of the World Cultural Heritage Youth Symposium 2023 was "Raising Awareness in a Digital Age." It encouraged students and teachers from around the world to actively engage with this topic by participating in various activities. High school students and educators were invited to present chosen world cultural heritage sites from both their own countries and from others. The Croatian symposium team, which included the Architectural-Geodetic Technical School from Split and the 4th Gymnasium from Zagreb, presented world cultural heritage sites from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Renowned experts Stjepan Bogdan from the University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing and Tomislav Radišić from the University of Zagreb Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences have been appointed to the Technical Committee on Unmanned Aircraft Systems at the Croatian Standards Institute. The committee's main focus is to establish and coordinate Croatian norms and standards for unmanned aircraft systems, ensuring safe and efficient integration into the country's airspace. Bogdan and Radišić bring their extensive knowledge and experience in UAS operations, safety, and airspace integration, positioning Croatia as a leader in responsible unmanned aviation.
The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Sarajevo, organized Open Door Week for the period 15.05-19.05, 2023. High school pupils and prospective students had an opportunity to see why the Faculty of Electrical Engineering Sarajevo, where many students in various areas of electrical engineering and computer science have been educated, is the best ranking faculty at the national level, and why this institution, with its 62 years of tradition, had generated thousands of engineers who have continued their professional and academic careers in prestigious global companies and at the world's best universities. All participants were able to receive some basic information about the study programs, the enrollment requirements and the equipment used in different laboratories.
Our AeroSTREAM project was presented in the Laboratory for Collaborative Artificial Intelligence and Control Systems, where all prospective students were able to learn the basic information about the purpose of the project, the institutions involved, and hear about different applications where unmanned aerial vehicles can be utilized.
The Bounding Box Conference in Osijek was an incredible success, thanks to the outstanding organization by Protostar and the strong support of the Aerostream project. With captivating lectures, including one by Professor Bogdan titled Multi agent active perception based on Reinforcement Learning, the event surpassed all expectations. Held at the newly opened Business Centre, attendees engaged in fruitful networking and explored cutting-edge solutions. Relive the excitement at https://bounding-box.ai/ and stay tuned for future innovations!
Like last year, we are organizing the UAV Competition at the International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ICUAS). The competition is organized through two phases, with the final phase being held alongside the Conference in Warsaw, Poland in June.
This year, the competition is organized by FER, LARICS and CATEC through AeroSTREAM and METRICS projects. Almost 40 teams registered for the first phase of the competition, with 15 teams submitting their solutions. 5 teams qualified for the finals in Warsaw: UMIC from Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay, AIRo Lab (PAIR lab) from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Carrot from Chung-Ang University, SDCN lab from York University and CVAR from Polytechnic University of Madrid.
We congratulate all teams on their performance and especially to the top five teams for qualifying to the finals in Poland. See you at ICUAS'23!
To promote the faculty, several visits to high schools were carried out, including the Rudolf Perešin Aviation Technical School among them. On April 24, 2023, a presentation was held from the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences. Interested senior-year students had the opportunity to receive information about how the study programs at the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences are organized. Through these promotion activities, students were introduced to faculty activities in a wide array of fields, including the field of unmanned aerial vehicles. The presentation also introduced projects in which the faculty actively participates. This interactive session not only educated but also encouraged students to ask questions and explore their interests in the UAV domain through discussions with the faculty's staff.
On April 18, 2023, a compelling lecture and workshop titled "Multirotor UAVs for Logistics and Precision Agriculture" took place at the Faculty of Economics and Business (EFZG), University of Zagreb. Dr. Denis Kotarski, an expert in the field, took the lead in this engaging event.
The event was tailored for students of the Faculty of Economics and Business, drawing a diverse audience that included researchers, students, and professors. During the lecture and workshop, attendees delved into the world of multirotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and their applications in logistics and precision agriculture.
The lecture and workshop at EFZG provided a valuable learning experience and an opportunity for the university community to stay informed about cutting-edge technology and its real-world applications. It exemplified the collaborative spirit and dedication to innovation within the academic setting.
Protostar Labs (PRL) participated in the "Celjski sejem - Mednarodni industrijski sejem in sejem Lestech," an International Industry Fair held in Celje, Slovenia. This fair showcased the latest developments in industrial automation, robotics, digitalization, machine manufacturing, and emphasized the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in industrial automation. These advancements were directly aligned with the research and development efforts of Protostar Labs as part of the AeroSTREAM project.
Representatives from Protostar Labs attended the fair to witness the industry's latest trends and network with other professionals. The knowledge and connections acquired at the fair were directly applicable to their cooperation with industry stakeholders within the AeroSTREAM project. The fair, organized by CELJE FAIR d.d., featured industry experts and representatives from exhibiting companies who presented their products, innovations, and expertise.
The event took place from April 18 to April 21 at the premises of CELJE FAIR d.d. in Celje, Slovenia. It included various activities such as product showcases, demonstrations, networking opportunities, and knowledge-sharing sessions. The fair aimed to connect businesses involved in machine manufacturing, tool-making, welding, and cutting industries, fostering discussions and the establishment of new business partnerships.
On April 21, 2023, the regional conference for the project "Research and Development of Specialized Multirotor Unmanned Aircraft," KK.01.1.1.04.0092, took place at the Atrium of the Polytechnic of Karlovac in Croatia. The event attracted participants interested in exchanging knowledge and experiences related to project preparation, implementation, and the research and development of multirotor unmanned aircraft. The conference also featured presentations of scientific papers.
Dario Stuhne published an article "Design and Validation of Wireless Drone Docking Station" at ICUAS 2023 international confrerence as an exstension to previously published article Design of a Wireless Drone Recharging Station and a Special Robot End Effector for Installation on a Power Line. The articles are being made as a part of AeroSTREAM and AERIAL CORE projects. The article will be presented at the conference, the work on implementation and system upgrade will be continued.
"Spring BIND - Become an engineer for a day" is the second edition of free STEM workshops for elementary school students, and will be held at FER on Saturday, May 6, 2023. No prior knowledge is required for the workshops. The workshops are held in three times: 10:00-11:30, 12:00-13:30 and 14:00-15:30.
From March 20th until April 5th 2023, staf members of the University of Zagreb's Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture (UNIZG-FSB): Petar Piljek, Matija Krznar and Denis Kotarski participated in a short-term visit to the University of Twente (UT), Robotics and Mechatronics (RaM) group and Saxion University of Applied Sciences (SAX), Mechatronics research group. Dr. Chiara Gabellieri, Amr Afifi, Youssef Aboudorra, Yaolei Shen were key individuals that were actively involved in the short-term visit from the UT and Prof. Abeje Mersha, Ayham Alharbat, and Dr. Davide Bicego were representatives form the SAX University. The visit aimed to foster collaboration, knowledge exchange, and enhance research excellence. The primary goals of the visit were to establish initial contact, share knowledge, explore laboratory facilities and equipment, and gain insight into the organizational and research capabilities of UT and SAX.
Marijana Peti attended the International Symposium Underwater technologies 2023 (UT23) from 6th until 9th of March in Tokyo, Japan, University of Tokyo, Institute of Industrial Science. She presented an article in the environmental monitoring section: A Search Strategy and Vessel Detection in Maritime Environment Using Fixed-Wing UAVs, Marijana Peti, Ana Milas, Natko Kraševac, Marko Križmančic, Ivan Lončar, Nikola Miškovic, Stjepan Bogdan, FER, University of Zagreb.
UNIZG-FSB participated in Amsterdam Drone Week, the event took place in Amsterdam from March 21st to March 23rd, 2023. Amsterdam Drone Week 2023 (ADW 2023) is a remarkable event jointly organized by RAI Amsterdam, a prominent exhibition and convention center in the Netherlands, and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the European regulatory agency responsible for ensuring safety in civil aviation.
Zdenko Kovačić, Goran Vasiljević, and Antun Ivanović, from the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (UNIZG-FER), made an appearance at the European Robotics Forum (ERF2023) held in Odense, Denmark from March 13th to 16th, 2023. The project AeroSTREAM and LARICS lab were showcased with a stand in the exhibition area.
ERF is Europe's largest event dedicated to robotics, featuring a wide range of topics, such as aerial robotics, artificial intelligence, human-robot interaction, ethics, legal aspects, robotics in education, and entrepreneurship. The forum comprises plenary sessions with keynote speakers, technical workshops, interactive sessions, and an exhibition that displays the latest robotics technologies.
Their participation proved fruitful, resulting in the establishment of new connections within the community and opening up new collaboration opportunities with other researchers and end-users interested in aerial robotics and robotics in general.
Join us at ICRA 2023 in London for a half-day workshop on the role of robotics simulators for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), where we will explore:
- The capabilities and limitations of aerial robotics simulators
- How simulators have become a key part of the design process for UAVs
The workshop is designed for researchers and engineers who are struggling to find, customize or design a robotic simulator for their specific use case or application related to UAVs. The program will include talks from both academia and industry, a poster session, breakout sessions, and roundtable discussions. We will announce the speakers and schedule shortly!
Submit your extended abstracts for the poster session by March 20th, 2023 via the EasyChair platform: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=rs4uavs. Please visit the workshop website for more information: https://imrclab.github.io/workshop-uav-sims-icra2023/
On the 13th and 14th of February 2023, AeroSTREAM researchers from UNIZG-FER, UNIZG-FTTS and ICENT participated in a short-term visit to AeroSTREAM partners Technological Coorporation of Andalusia (CTA), Advanced Centre for Aerospace Technologies (CATEC) and University of Seville (GRVC lab). Colleagues from CTA were the hosts of the visit. Half of the visit was spent learning more about CTA and its projects and practices in working on European projects and different types of projects CTA manages, and the other half was spent visiting the labs of CATEC and USE. It was a great few days of sharing knowledge between AeroSTREAM partners.
After the visit to Seville, on the 15th of February, the group moved to Malaga to participate in the Transfiere 2023 fair “the European Forum for Science, Technology and Innovation, a meeting of professionals from the public and private sector to discuss research, knowledge transfer, how to improve competitiveness in companies and create new business opportunities”.
During the week of 13th – 17th February 2023, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture from the University of Zagreb, an AeroSTREAM partner, hosted a STEM Week with the primary aim of popularizing various STEM fields among elementary school pupils. The event was a resounding success, as two researchers (lecturers) and a student of mechanical engineering conducted practical workshops in which pupils were introduced to emerging technologies such as drones, robots, and 3D printing.
The workshops were divided into smaller groups, allowing for personalized instruction and hands-on experience with various cutting-edge technologies. Pupils were taught about the working principles of drones, mobile robots, robotic manipulators, and 3D printers, using tools for 3D modeling (TinkerCAD) and block programming (SCRATCH).
Additionally, to increase the understanding and acceptance of UAVs, a lecture was held for high-school teachers on drones and robots. The potential implementation of these technologies in the existing curriculum was discussed, making the event a valuable contribution to the STEM education community. More info can be found in the report from the event here.
XV. Mathematical Gymnasium, known as MIOC, stands as one of the most prominent and successful mathematical gymnasiums in Zagreb. Annually, they host the "Day of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture" at their institution. The primary objective of this event is to bring together representatives, professors, assistants, and students from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture to showcase new ideas in mechanical engineering and study programs. Their aim is to pique the interest of MIOC students, who are former students of this esteemed institution, and encourage them to consider enrolling at the Faculty.
As part of this special day at MIOC, Assistant Professor Petar Piljek from UNIZG-FSB introduced the audience to commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and prototypes that resulted from the dedicated research activities of the team specializing in multirotor UAVs.
This event serves as an excellent opportunity for the Faculty to engage with the next generation of potential students. It provides a platform for showcasing innovations and research, making the academic field of mechanical engineering and naval architecture more accessible and appealing to young minds.
For more information on this event, you can visit the following link: [XV. Mathematical Gymnasium Event](https://www.mioc.hr/wp/?p=23969).
On January 11, 2023, AeroSTREAM members from widening countries (Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina) met for an internal workshop on the different ways of preparing and managing national and European projects - with a special focus on Croatian and Bosnian regulations. In the first part of the workshop, AeroSTREAM coordinator Prof. Stjepan Bogdan reported on experiences from previous European projects in which UNIZG-FER was involved. It was a very productive meeting with many useful questions and discussions. In the second part of the workshop, the group reviewed AeroSTREAM activities and plans for members from widening countries in the following months.
The AeroSTREAM project is committed to actively engaging with the European Universities Initiative, with a view to achieving its strategic objectives. The University of Zagreb is a member of UNIC European University of Posiindustrial Cities, while AeroSTREAM partners are members of other EU Universities such as ECIU (University of Twente) and EuroTeq (CVUT).
On the 7th of November 2022, the AeroSTREAM coordinator took part in the UNIC Event "Introduction of UNIC Virtual Campus", held in Zagreb, where they gained valuable insights into the activities within the UNIC European Initiative and explored the possibilities of actively participating in UNIC events and courses.
Furthermore, in collaboration with the University of Twente (Prof. Antonio Franchi and Dr. Chiara Gabellieri), an online meeting was held with Mrs. Katrin Dircksen, the Secretary General of the ECIU European University at the University of Twente. Participants from the University of Zagreb and the University of Sarajevo attended the meeting, and they gained insightful information on the positive experiences and lessons learned from participating in ECIU by the University of Twente. Mrs. Dircksen also learned more about the AeroSTREAM project and its goals, making it a very productive and informative meeting.
One of the goals of the AeroSTREAM project is to put emphasis on the development of the Gender Equality Plan for all wHEIs that are AeroSTEAM partners. On the same topic, AeroSTREAM has organized a workshop on the 8th of December 2022 with the University Gender Resource Center (UNIGeRC) and UNSA Gender Equality Council at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Sarajevo for students, teaching assistants, and professors. The main topic of the workshop was "Understanding Masculinity: How to Develop Gender Responsibility?" and was led by Nikola Vučić, a journalist and a researcher in the field of gender inequality. This workshop aimed to review and critically analyze the overall concept of masculinity, especially in a society with patriarchal values, when advocating and achieving gender equality in the academic community and society. More than 20 participants got an insight into the definitions of masculinity and theoretical analysis of dominant patterns of masculinity determined by the social and cultural context.
On 14th of December Matouš Vrba from AeroSTREAM partner Fly4Future held a hands-on training for wHEI partners at the UNIZG-FER in Zagreb, entitled “Open Tools for Research, Deployment and Education with UAVs”, that consisted of an introductory lecture about UAV research and development in Fly4Future and hands-on training on how to use all the open-source tools and software repositories available within the consortium. The hands-on training was very useful for the group and will improve future development of solutions for UAVs. Photos from the event can be found here.
🤖🤖 The robots are returning to the Cultural Information Center Maskimir!!!! Our Christmas robot party will be held on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 in the large hall of the Center, Švarcova 18, from 12 to 8 p.m.!!! 🤖🤖
On Saturday, November 26, 2022, the University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing opened its doors to all those who are interested in scientific research, advanced technologies, and applications of these technologies in everyday life! Members of LARICS were also there showing a series of scientific research and projects. Among them, LARICS showcased the results of several projects where it participates - WatchPlant, Hektor, AeroSTREAM, and many others.
The AeroSTREAM project showcased a range of LARICS UAVs equipped with cutting-edge sensors, providing visitors with an insightful demonstration of how these impressive machines operate and the diverse range of applications they can be utilized for.
Several photos from the event can be found here.
Prof. Stjepan Bogdan presented the AeroStream project at the Europe Widening Horizon Program Info Day, which was held on 24th of November 2022. at the University of Rijeka. The event was organized by the University of Rijeka, the Agency for Mobility and Programs of the European Union (AMPEU) and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing from Zagreb (FER). The agenda of the meeting is available here.
AeroSTREAM members participated in the "Days of the FSB" organized by the project partner Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture on November 9, 2022, in Zagreb. The AeroSTREAM project was presented to current and future students, student associations and companies by prof. Petar Piljek and prof. Josip Kasać.
The exhibition of the University of Zagreb was held from November 10 to 12, 2022 at the Zagreb Fair, on the premises of the Congress Hall and the Winter Garden Hall (Avenija Dubrovnik 15, Zagreb), in a hybrid form, a combination of live events and the publication of various digital content. All the faculties and academies of the University of Zagreb presented their work at their exhibition spaces in the Congress Hall of the Zagreb Fair on all three days of the Fair.
LARICS and AeroSTREAM were represented by PhD student Filip Zorić and his work on controlling UAV using HMI interface.
The Exhibition of the University of Zagreb, a unique event for high school graduates, future students and those already enrolled, was held from November 10th to 12th of 2022, at the Zagreb. Within the exhibition spaces, attendees experienced direct interactions with students and faculty members from each institute. The third day of the exhibition was dedicated to technical faculties, featuring the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences which illustrated the world of transportation including the domain of aeronautics, to all high school attendees. The students were presented with the concept of operating unmanned aerial vehicles in an engaging and interactive manner. The faculty's activities involving UAVs initiated curiosity among attendees.
Everyone working in robotics knows that software tools like Robot Operating Systems (ROS) are necessary for the development of control solutions for robotics. Since PhD students from the AeroSTREAM partner FTTS did not have the opportunity to learn ROS within their master study courses, UNIZG-FER included two PhD students from the University of Zagreb Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences, Ivan Tukarić and Petar Papoči, in the course at UNIZG-FER entitled “Robot Programming and Simulation”. The course provides many hands-on ROS exercises and gave Petar and Ivan a very good introduction to ROS. We hope this will facilitate their future UAV endeavours!
On Thursday, November 3, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. in hall A-211 at UNIZG-FER in Zagreb Filip Zorić, mag. ing. from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb held an interactive workshop for interested students entitled "Run the bot in a Docker container". The lecture was organized by the IEEE Young Professionals Interest Group, the Robotics and Automation Department (RA24) of the Croatian IEEE Section and the Laboratory for Robotics and Intelligent Control Systems (LARICS, Aerostream project). The goal of the workshop was to familiarize participants with the basic concepts of the Docker system for virtualization and provide the necessary steps and tools to start a simple robot with ROS2. The workshop attracted 19 participants. Photos from the event can be found here.
On September 22, 2022, a successful kick-off meeting for the AeroSTREAM project was held at the Hotel International in Zagreb. The AeroSTREAM project is a Horizon Europe project coordinated by UNIZG-FER and covers the field of aerial systems for forestry, agriculture and logistics. Project Officer Agne Dobranskyte-Niskota welcomed the attendees and wished us a successful project start. The consortium went through the work planned in work packages and prepared a plan for the first year.
The Institute for the Development of Education hosted the 18th Higher Education and Scholarships Fair (SAS), on October 12, 2022. As a recognisable event of its kind, the Fair provides information about opportunities for further education both in the country and abroad, as well as various forms of financial support. This year, the program investigated opportunities for learning and developing in the area of STEM. The Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences participated in the fair by introducing a new curriculum inside the STEM area. This was a unique opportunity to present innovative plans and curriculum faculty offers, especially the Department of Aeronautics, which includes in its programs courses in unmanned aerial vehicle management. This progressive approach to education reflects the faculty's dedication to creating expertise in the area of UAVs from a transportation standpoint.
The International Conference, The Science and Development of Transport ZIRP 2022, took place in the city of Šibenik from September 28th to September 30th, 2022. ZIRP is a well-known regional event in the field of transport and logistics. It offers a platform for the dissemination of innovative ideas and groundbreaking solutions to the business community. Within the workshop titled "30 Years of Aeronautics Department," the Ph.D. candidate of the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences Petar Papoči, presented his research titled "Integration of software defined radio on an unmanned aerial vehicle." His work investigated the technical aspect of adjusting software-defined radios (SDRs) with UAVs, providing a comprehensive overview of the system's operational potential and limitations.
The project's Kick-Off Meeting will be held on Thursday, 22nd of September 2022 at the Hotel International venue near the University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing in Zagreb, Croatia. The project partners will use this chance to introduce themselves, discuss project details, and make plans for the first year of the project.
Four LARICS researchers Jurica Goričanec, Lovro Marković Marijana Peti and Filip Zorić attended the AeroStream Summer School 2022 on multi robot systems held from 1st to 4th of August at Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic. A few lectures were from top academic researchers in the field of robotics, such as Anibal Ollero, Konstantinos Alexis, Martin Saska, etc. Each day a rich networking program was provided after the lectures in the form of social dinners and sightseeing trips.