Southampton has been awarded £500,000 to develop new robotics and autonomous systems technologies for infrastructure management and repair.
The systems will be able to sense, diagnose and repair different aspects of infrastructure, such as potholes, utility pipes and lighting columns.
Dr Stephen Prior, Reader in Unmanned Air Vehicles and the lead Southampton academic on the project, said:
“We will be focusing on designing, building and testing air platforms to perch on street furniture and undertake tasks such as changing lighting filaments and environmental monitoring. Elements of the work will also involve liaising with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) over flight rules in urban areas.”
Funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPRSC), the seven new research projects will involve nineteen UK universities, including Southampton, and 80 industry and government partners. They will begin work in December and are supported by an additional £11 million investment from industry to bring the total level of support to £32m.