Latest from the Blog
Exploring New Frontiers: Icing Research for Green Aviation
The NTNU UAV Icing Lab has obtained funding for a new research project in collaboration with UBIQ Aerospace. Together, they have received 9.1MNOK (0.8MEUR) in funding from the Norwegian Research Council for an innovation project with the title Zero Ice Shield: D•ICE Ice Protection for Aviation’s Green Evolution. The project’s motivation is the development of…
Advancing UAV Safety: Electro-Thermal Ice Protection for Propellers
In a recent presentation at the AIAA SciTech Forum and Exposition in Orlando, master student Markus Frey had the pleasure of representing the NTNU UAV Icing Lab. In this session, we explored innovative research set to revolutionize the safety and reliability of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) operating in challenging weather conditions. The focus was an…
Bridging UAV Icing Innovations to Clean Aviation
Last week, our team from the UAV Icing Lab had the privilege of attending the NTNU Clean Aviation evening with Rolls-Royce, Avinor, and Widerøe. This event not only provided us with a deeper understanding of the latest trends in aviation technology but also opened our eyes to the significant potential for synergy between our work…
New Advancements in Ice Protection Systems for UAV propellers
The NTNU UAV Icing Lab, together with Mejzlik Propellers, and UBIQ Aerospace have developed a system to protect the propellers of UAVs when flying in icing conditions. In clouds in cold conditions, the propeller can collect ice and reduce the aerodynamic efficiency of the propeller. The developed electro-thermal ice protection system prevents ice accretion and…
Reflecting on 2023
As the year 2023 comes to a close, it’s time to look back at a year filled with significant achievements and advancements in the field of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) icing research. It has been an important year for the UAV icing research field and the NTNU UAV Icing Lab has contributed some of the…
Optimizing Ice Protection Systems for UAVs: Striking the Balance Between Energy Efficiency and Flight Safety
**NEW PUBLICATION** Atmospheric in-flight icing is a significant threat for all aircraft, in particular for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Hence, most UAVs require a mitigation plan in order to fly safely in icing conditions, at least in the more severe icing conditions. One way of protecting the aircraft against the negative influences of icing is…
Solving the in-flight ice detection challenge: Keeping small drones safe in the skies
The skies are not always as friendly as they seem, especially when flying in cold weather conditions. Although aircraft icing is considered solved for larger aircraft in civil aviation, the challenge of icing is relatively new and unexplored in the context of small drones and uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs). In this blog post, we will…
UAV icing research takes flight at the SAE icing conference in Vienna
The NTNU UAV Icing Lab recently made a significant contribution to the SAE International Conference on Icing of Aircraft, Engines, and Structures in Vienna. Our team showcased our research results by presenting seven papers. As leaders in the field of UAV icing research, we are dedicated to providing knowledge and solution for unmanned aircraft operations…
Icing wind tunnels – an universal tool for icing research?
One of the challenges to the safe and reliable operation of aircraft is the hazard of in-flight icing. Ice accretions on the aircraft happen when supercooled droplets – droplets that are liquid although their temperature is below freezing – hit the surface. Depending on the position where the ice grows, different problems can arise. Ice…
Developing robust UAV autopilot controllers for flight in icing
**NEW PUBLICATION** In-flight icing is a severe risk for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In these conditions, ice accumulates on the wings and propellers which disturbs the airfoil. As a consequence, the aerodynamic performance of the wings and propeller is reduced. Ice also reduces the effectiveness of the control surfaces. Most UAVs use an autopilot system for…
Highlights of the UAV Icing Workshop
By Bogdan Løw-Hansen, Joachim Wallisch, Markus Lindner, Michael Cheung and Nicolas Müller The 1st International Workshop on Unmanned Aircraft Icing took place in Trondheim on 29th-30th of November. The purpose of the workshop was to gather different stakeholders interested in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) icing, including – scientists, engineers, manufacturers, investors, operators, and authorities –…
Succesful workshop!
One week after the 1st UAV Icing Workshop in Trondheim, we thank all participants for joining! With your support, we have made this event into a successful forum for discussing UAV icing-related challenges in research, industry, and regulations. More than 80 participants were registered for the event with about half of them physically present in…
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