Drones for good: innovation, research and education

Abstract

Drones are rapidly evolving from experimental prototypes to useful tools which can be used in several applications across multiple domains to address real-world challenges. In this talk, we will explore how drone technology can be used to benefit humanity, ranging from more classical applications – such as search-and-rescue, precision agriculture, disaster response, environmental monitoring – to emerging applications such as advanced air mobility, transport of passengers, and healthcare logistics, up to advanced research on aerial robotics of novel applications involving interaction between drone, environment, and humans to improve safety of workers. We will highlight the unique role of university spin-offs in driving innovation by bridging universities, research groups, and industry partners, to design custom solutions. Moreover, we will emphasize the educational potential of drones, which serve as flexible and multidisciplinary platforms to enable transition from theory to practice and to support hands-on learning, by training the next generation of engineers and scientists.

Short bio

Simone Panza got a BSc in Computer Science Engineering from the University of Bergamo in 2011, a MSc in Automation and Control Engineering from Politecnico di Milano in 2014 and a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from Politecnico di Milano in 2018. He has been post-doc at the Aerospace Systems and Control Laboratory-ASCL in the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology of Politecnico di Milano up to 2020, where he carried out research on robust control, modeling and identification of rotary-wing vehicles, both manned and unmanned. Since 2020 he is the CEO of ANT-X, a spin-off company of Politecnico di Milano providing drone solutions for