CATEC is participating in this innovative European project as one of its technology partners and beneficiaries, contributing its extensive experience and expertise in autonomous robotics, computer vision, AI and the validation of technological solutions in real-world environments.
This initiative, which forms part of the ‘Science and Innovation Missions’ programme and is funded by the TransMisiones 2023 initiative, aims to design, optimise and manufacture various metal devices using additive manufacturing (3D printing), incorporating innovative artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
This GNSS-free positioning system, developed entirely by our technology centre, is at the forefront internationally as it relies solely on on-board sensors and requires no prior knowledge of the surroundings, external infrastructure or communications with other systems.
CATEC is participating in this EU-funded initiative by deploying two autonomous aerial platforms and developing advanced tools for the inspection and repair of defects in civil infrastructure, such as railways and roads
Our technology centre has once again served as an institutional partner for this major international conference, and has taken part in several of the technical sessions on the programme, which featured leading experts and executives from major Spanish and European industrial and technology companies in the aerospace and defence sectors.
During the visit, accompanied by the Director-General for the Promotion of Entrepreneurship and Continuing Education, Francisco Javier González Navarro, he was able to see our facilities and technological capabilities at first hand, as well as attend several specially organised technology demonstrations and learn about some of the most significant innovation projects in which we are currently involved.
CATEC has made a significant contribution to this European project by developing a system comprising an autonomous drone and navigation and mapping algorithms, enabling safe inspections and the generation of real-time 3D maps that are extremely useful during tunnel construction.
The article, entitled ‘Autonomous UAV Pipeline Landing via Depth–LiDAR Fusion in GNSS-Denied Refineries’, addresses the solution to a very specific industrial inspection problem: landing a UAV with precision on pipelines in refineries without GNSS, where occlusions, interference and reflective surfaces make perception particularly challenging.