Aero-Train

Abstract: AERO-TRAIN fills gaps between the infrastructure O&M industry and Industry4.0 with the ambition to keep our invaluable assets operational and safe. The AERO-TRAIN general objectives are, in fact, to reduce the costs associated to O&M operations, while increasing the safety aspects related to the asset management. To achieve its objectives, AERO-TRAIN researches and develops automation technologies based on aerial manipulators and it identifies that the solution lays in the synergy between three main research pillars: Intelligent Mechatronics, Artificial Intelligence and Human-Machine Interaction. AERO-TRAIN will focus on developing new approaches for improving the robustness of aerial manipulators under conditions that reflect real application, such as the application of relevant forces for tool manipulation and robust perception in featureless and light challenging environments. Moreover, AERO-TRAIN takes a unique human-centered direction and it addresses the scientific issues related to increasing the maneuverability for remote aerial manipulation by development new immersive technologies, augmented and mixed reality for damage assessment by a remote expert, and collaborative human-machine intelligence for supported evaluation of criticalities. Finally, AERO-TRAIN addresses the lack of skills and competences that are needed in the industry to ensure that the outcome of the project create an impact, by developing a training program where both the academic and non-academic sector contribute to train 15 Early Stage Researchers that are hosted by 9 beneficiaries that are experts in the AERO-TRAIN core technologies, and 7 partner organizations that partners from both industry and academia will complement the framework for the training, advancement and test of the technology.