Master’s degree in Applications and Technologies for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drones)

Organization, contents and faculty

The program is divided in three blocs (see figure below): five subjects (21 ECTS), internship (9 ECTS) and Master Thesis (30 ECTS). A block of 3 ECTS with formative complements (programming, electronics and air space organization) may be requiered depending on the student background.

The subjects must be taken during the first semester and combine participative classes, practical exercises, autonomous learning and application mini-projects.

The internship will be taken also during the first semester (half-time). Students will do the internship in one of the collaborating agents, learning their methods, tools, projects and working methodology.

The Master Thesis is developed during the second semester full-time, uisually iin the same collaborating agent where the student did the intership . 

All classes are imparted in English.

Below you will find more details about the five subjects, internship and Master Thesis.

You can find here all relevant details of the program organization and key dates.

 

Internship and MasterThesis

Most of the academic activity (65%) will be practical work in one of our collaborating agents developing a project.The project will consist in the development of an specific application of drons. Students will have to integrate them self into working teams at the collaborating agent.  

The project will include aspects such as:

    • Identification and characterization of the application
    • Selection of the adequate dron platform
    • Identification of the required equipment (payload) required to fulfill the mission
    • Development of hardware and software required to integrate the equipment into the dron platform, to set up the system and to exploit data and results.
    • Testing and demonstrations
    • Guaranteeing viability and profitability

    During the first semester students will do project preparation work in the form of internship (9 ECTS). During this period, students will acquire knowledge of the collaborating agent (technologies. Applications and working dynamics) and specify the details of the project work to be developed during the second semester.

    Student’s work will be supervised by academics in tight contact with responsible from the collaborating agent. Supervision will be based on frequent progress reports. The project results will be documented and evaluated through a final report and oral presentation.

    Faculty

    Miguel Valero (Full professor, Dept of Computer Architecture) https://futur.upc.edu/MiguelValeroGarcia

    Pablo Royo (Associate Professor, Dept of Computer Architecture), https://futur.upc.edu/PabloRoyoChic

    Unmanned Aircraft

    The central element of the drone-based system is the aircraft itself. In this subject the several existing aircraft types will be studied, including but not limited to their characteristics, feeding and propulsion systems, actuators, autopilots, etc...

    The subject gives the student the adequate criteria for the accurate selection of the aircraft and its components based on the requested mission.

    Course syllabus

    • Global vision, aircraft providers and fabricants.
    • Unmaned aircraft definition and components.
    • Propulsion and energy systems in unmaned aircrafts.
    • Stability, navegation and guide systems.
    • Communication systems in unmaned aircrafts.

    Faculty

    Dr. Oscar Casas (Associate Professor, Dept of Electronics Engineering), https://futur.upc.edu/JaimeOscarCasasPiedrafita

    Dr. Mario García (Associate Professor,  Department of Signal Theory and Communications,), https://futur.upc.edu/MarioGarciaLozano

    Dra. Eulàlia Pares (External collaborator), https://www.cttc.cat/people/m-eulalia-pares/

     

    Payload

    An unmanned system gets its value thanks to its capacity to carry on a specified work. For this purpose it'll be needed to embark several devices required to carry on such work, called payload. 

    In this subject the equipment that normally constitute a drone payload will be studied, together with their correct maintenance, configuration, functioning and how to process the output data.

    Remote sensing applications will be particularly focused upon, since they're the most extended.

    Course syllabus

    • Mission sensors classification and characteristics.
    • Calibration and correct data acquisition.
    • Positioning systems and sensor orientation mechanisms.
    • Data analysis and processing.
    • Other payload types

    Faculty

    Dra. Esther Salami (Associate Professor, Dept of Computer Architecture), https://futur.upc.edu/EstherSalamiSanJuan

    Dr. Juan Lopez (Associate Professor,  Dept of Computer Architecture), https://futur.upc.edu/JuanLopezRubio

    Dr. Eduard Angelats (External collaborator), https://www.cttc.cat/people/eduard-angelats/

    System Integration in RPAS

    An unmaned aerial system is formed by many components and systems (cameras, autopilot, electrical and propulsion systems, onboard processing, database, etc...) that need to interact between each other in a coordinated and intelligent way in order to correctly perform a mission or given task.

    So we can say that we're dealing with a distributed system that needs to be managed and exploited correctly. A good coordination between all the systems will offer an important efficiency increase to the operation and a differential value to the overall system.

    Course syllabus

    • Mission data model and storage.
    • Communication middleware for distributed systems.
    • Embarked autopilot interaction
    • Ground control stations and systems

    Faculty

    Eduard García (Associate Professor, Network Engineering Department), https://futur.upc.edu/EduardGarciaVillegas

    Airspace Structure and Regulation

     Drone usage on our country is regulated by rules that, even if they may change in the future, must be known. It's also convenient to know the regulations that are being applied in other countries inside and outside the European Union, and the normative development that the EU is having in order to harmonize the regulations of several countries, so transnational applications are simpler and the sector development is quicker and orderly.

    Course syllabus

    • Unmaned systems regulation in Spain.
    • Ethical code conduct for RPA pilots.
    • International drone legislation and recommendations for drones exceeding 25 and 150 kg of weight.
    • Organization, structure and management of aerial space.
    • RPAS integration in a non-segregated aerial space.

    Faculty

    Marc Melgosa (Assistant Professor, Dept. of Physics), https://futur.upc.edu/MarcMelgosaFarres

    Javana Kuljanin (Asistant Professor, Dept. of Physics), https://futur.upc.edu/JovanaKuljanin

    Miquel Campos Faura (External Collaborator),  LinkedIn

    RPAS Applications & Business

    The purpose of a drone system is to accomplish a mission. It's precisely in this field where an activity explosion is expected, since the application possibilities of drones are already extraodinarily numerous. With all probability, in the next years new, hard to imagine possibilities will be created.

    In this subject the students will review several of the actual applications. It'll be organized around talks given by experts in each one of their applications (ambiental protection, fire prevention, forest management, infrastructure supervision, audiovisual reportage, etc...).

    The subject will cover also the basic knowledge to design plans to turn drone applications into viable and profitable business.

    Course syllabus

    • Drone applications.
    • Business model Canvas of the business to develop.
    • Analysis and design of missions by activity sectors.
    • Pre and post mission planification.

    Faculty

    Pere Guilabert (Associate Professor, Department of Signal Theory and Communications), https://futur.upc.edu/PereLluisGilabertPinal

    Xavier Silva (External Collaborator), LinkedIn