Autonomous systems beyond the road: FDTech joins the SmartCargoDrone research project

In collaboration with our partners – Additive Drives GmbH, Dresden and Technische Universität Chemnitz (Chair of Computer Engineering and Chair of Production Systems and Processes) – we are developing an innovative autonomous cargo drone solution to unlock the full potential of civilian drones for cargo transport.

Our Goal at FDTech is to develop AI-powered path planning for autonomous multicopter cargo drones. We aim to enhance the functionality and sustainable efficiency of current drone systems for reliable cargo transportation.

The Challenge: Transporting cargo via drone to a specific geographical destination requires autonomous decision-making under varying environmental conditions. To ensure safe and efficient delivery, the project team develops a system that:

• Enables the drone to autonomously navigate to its target while adapting to environmental factors
• Implements control algorithms to dampen pendulum motion of the transported cargo
• Integrates model-based energy management into mission planning

Our Approach is to combine drone-specific properties with real-time environmental data to optimize mission planning. By enriching the flight control system with intelligent energy management, we ensure successful transport operations while maximizing efficiency and reliability.

Why This Matters? Cargo drones are becoming a key component of future logistics. By developing autonomous, energy-efficient drone systems, we contribute to sustainable mobility solutions and the advancement of innovative transport technologies.

This project is funded by the Sächsische Aufbaubank and runs from October 2025 to December 2027. We are proud to be a part of it.