AI-controlled drone swarms to inspect wind turbines in the future

Traditionally, wind turbines have to be shut down before they can be inspected for damage. This means that these wind turbines do not generate energy during the shutdown period. Furthermore, inspection costs for wind turbines tend to be high. The DORBINE project, funded by the FFG, involves a research team from the University of Klagenfurt working with industrial partner AIR6 SYSTEMS to develop a new technology that uses artificial intelligence to control swarms of drones that inspect wind turbines while they are in operation.

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Integrating the circular economy into existing economic models

The circular economy concept aims to use resources sustainably as a way to reduce harm to the environment. Although the notion of the circular economy is well established and frequently invoked in political discourse, its true economic significance and precise definition remain unclear above and beyond the familiar, often superficial statements. Paul Schweinzer (University of Klagenfurt) and Zaifu Yang (University of York) intend to change this: In the FWF-funded project “Circular Competitive Equilibrium”, they are seeking ways to combine the idea of a circular economy with the well-developed economic concepts of decentralized competition and private property.

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Using innovative methods to improve our understanding of the interplay between monetary policy and the economy

How can we improve the prediction of systemic risks in financial and economic crises? A new research project is developing innovative Bayesian methods to model dynamic covariances – with the aim of improving forecasts and supporting political decisions.

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Greater efficiency along the ‘middle mile’ in logistics as a result of collaboration between companies

When goods are delivered from A to B, a significant part of the journey involves transporting shipments between warehouses, hub facilities and distribution centres. A research team working on the COMMIT project, which is funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, is developing technologies to prevent vehicles from travelling this ‘middle mile’ empty or with low load utilisation. The project is co-located at the University of Vienna and the University of Klagenfurt.

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