Living Labs
Dron Lab
Dron Lab is a university-wide research and development facility dedicated to unmanned aerial vehicles and systems (UAV/UAS) and their applications in industry, science and research. It brings together academic staff and students from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Faculty of Mining and Geology. The laboratory develops advanced autonomous systems, integrates specialised sensors, designs mission-specific aerial platforms and transforms research outcomes into practical solutions.
Its activities connect research, engineering, education and student projects, with strong emphasis on interdisciplinary cooperation, experimental validation, safe operation and deployment in real environments. Dron Lab provides a shared environment for developing technologies for inspection, mapping, environmental monitoring, infrastructure assessment, data acquisition and intelligent autonomous missions.
Industry
Services & Equipment
Dron Lab offers research cooperation, feasibility assessment, experimental development and specialised measurement services. The laboratory can support partners from the initial definition of a technical problem through system design, field testing, data processing and interpretation of results.
The laboratory has all the necessary equipment for the development and implementation of UAV devices. Modern measuring and diagnostic instruments are available. A small protected polygon is available for testing UAVs. The laboratory is also equipped with components for rapid prototyping, including 3D printers, milling machines, etc.
Our cooperation includes:
Aerial inspection and technical documentation
Image-based and sensor-based inspection of industrial objects, buildings, roofs, energy infrastructure and inaccessible structures.
Custom payload and platform development
Mechanical, electronic and software integration of specialised sensors, data loggers, communication units and mission-specific modules.
Education and professional training
Student projects, demonstrations, workshops and expert training in UAV technologies, sensing, data processing and safe mission preparation.
Environmental and air-quality monitoring
Integration of lightweight environmental sensors and spatially resolved acquisition of selected physical and chemical quantities.
Experimental testing and validation
Laboratory and field testing, repeatability assessment, operational evaluation and preparation of technical reports.
Geotechnical and geological monitoring
Documentation and measurement support for slopes, rock faces, mining areas and locations affected by geotechnical risks.
Mapping and 3D reconstruction
Photogrammetric data acquisition, orthophoto generation, digital surface models and three-dimensional documentation of sites and objects.
Sensor data processing and fusion
Time synchronisation, filtering, calibration, georeferencing, multisensor fusion, statistical evaluation and visualisation.
UAV mission design and feasibility studies
Dron Lab supports partners from the initial definition of a technical problem through system design, field testing, data processing and interpretation of results.
Wireless communication and IoT integration
Design of telemetry, data transfer and IoT connectivity between UAVs, edge devices, gateways and cloud or institutional infrastructure.
Equipment & facilities
Protected UAV testing polygon
Enables safe experimental flights, repeatability assessment and preparation of missions before deployment in real environments.
Rapid prototyping facilities
Accelerates iterative development of mechanical structures, custom payloads and mission-specific UAV modules.
UAV development and diagnostic equipment
Supports design, assembly, testing and operational validation of unmanned aerial platforms and mission-specific payloads.
Projects
Development of a comprehensive wireless monitoring system for high temperatures based on IoT for demanding environments affected by the consequences of mining activities
FRAM – Fire Risk Assessment and Management of European coal heaps
KITR – Comprehensive Transceiver Module Innovation for Wireless Mesh Networks
TOP Publications
