ILA Berlin Air Show 2018 – Contributions of TU Berlin

The TU Berlin presented itself with six projects at the joint stand Berlin-Brandenburg. Exhibitors include the TU Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics with four projects as well as the start-ups Arrowtec GmbH and CellCore.

IFSys – Intelligent Flying System

In the IFSys – Intelligent Flying System project, students of TU Berlin are developing an unmanned flying system. The second, improved test vehicle ALEXISevo (mass 14 kg, wingspan 4 m, payload 1 kg) completed its first flight tests in 2015. It is intended to fly automatically in the future and to independently perform tasks such as locating objects within a defined search area. The project is supported by material donations from sponsors and has been a junior group of the German Society for Aeronautics and Astronautics since 2013.

Contact: Martin Anhut, TU Berlin, Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics, Department of Flight Mechanics, Flight Control and Aeroelasticity, Tel.: 030 314-75776, Email: ifsys@ilr.tu-berlin.de, www.tu-berlin.de/?89424

Hybrid UAS indoor navigation – Novel indoor hybrid UAS design and indoor localization system for common drone systems

For unmanned aerial systems (UAS) whose task is simply to hold payloads aloft for extended periods, a combination of aerostatic (helium-filled) lift bodies and much smaller propellers than usual is suitable. These UAS can fly significantly longer than pure multirotors with comparatively low battery capacities and thus low battery weights. They are also considerably quieter. At TU Berlin, such UAS are additionally equipped with a self-developed indoor localization system, where GPS no longer functions. This enables automatic flight maneuvers and thus easier operation.

Contact: Julius Dahms, TU Berlin, Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics, Indoor Navigated Hybrid UAS, Tel.: 030 314-23780, 0175 800 45 08, julius.dahms@tu-berlin.de, Tim Fischer, tim.fischer@campus.tu-berlin.de

Project AlphaLink – Multibody Aircraft Technology and Flight Control

Project AlphaLink develops a technology for the unmanned aircraft of tomorrow at TU Berlin. Several individual aircraft are connected at the wingtips via mechanical joints. The resulting so-called multibody aircraft already achieves better flight performance on a small scale than existing drones. The visionary model AlphaLink X, with ten connected aircraft, will be capable of flying continuously at 20 km altitude for one year while carrying 450 kg of payload. Civil applications include telecommunications and long-term aerial photography. For operating the unmanned aircraft, the intelligent flight control Smart FC® was specifically developed.

Contact: Alexander Köthe, TU Berlin, Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics, Department of Flight Mechanics, Flight Control and Aeroelasticity, Project AlphaLink, Email: Alexander.Koethe@ProjectAlphaLink.com

Dr. Daniel Cracau, Email: Daniel.Cracau@ProjectAlphaLink.com

www.AlphaLink.space 

www.SmartFC.de  

Models of Satellites and Planetary Rovers

The Department of Spacecraft Engineering at the Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics of TU Berlin was founded in 1963 by Prof. Eugen Sänger. The focus is on the design, integration, and operation of small satellites and on exploring current research topics in the field of pico- and nanosatellites. Since 1991, initially under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Udo Renner and then under Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus Brieß, a total of 16 satellites of the TUBSAT family have been launched and operated in orbit. Communication is maintained daily with eight satellites, and the next satellite launches are already planned for 2018 and 2020. Furthermore, new research areas in space robotics are being developed through the creation of proprietary planetary rovers and innovative satellite concepts.

Exhibits of the department at ILA 2018 include models of the pico-satellite series BEESAT and the planetary rover SEAR.

Contact: Lennart Kryza, TU Berlin, Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics, Department of Spacecraft Engineering, Tel.: 030 31421319, Email: lennart.kryza@tu-berlin.de

ArrowTec – UAS for High-Autonomy Long-Term Operation

ArrowTec is a technology leader in safe and user-friendly drones for continuous operation. The nearly unlimited flight time and automated image processing support our customers in areas such as security, perimeter protection, drone defense, telecommunications, disaster management, research, and inspection. Standardized interfaces allow integration of customer-specific sensors and secure data transmission.

Contact: Josua Benner, Arrowtec GmbH, Email: info@arrowtec.de, www.arrowtec.de

CellCore GmbH – Innovative and Optimized Design Inspired by Nature

CellCore GmbH specializes in component optimization based on bionic structural and design principles. Using proprietary optimization algorithms, software tools, and commercial CAE solutions, components can be designed based on functionally graded cellular structures, enabling significant weight and material savings of up to 50 percent compared to traditional manufacturing methods. Various manufacturing processes suitable for large-scale production, such as die casting or injection molding, as well as highly flexible manufacturing methods like additive processes, can be used to produce the designed structures.

Contact: René Giese, CellCore GmbH, Tel.: 0176 7075 4304, Email: rene.giese@cellcore3d.com, www.cellcore3d.com