The U.S. drone manufacturer Skydio has opened a research and development office in Zurich. Skydio Switzerland GmbH focuses on autonomous drone technology, particularly in the areas of artificial intelligence, navigation and perception, as was reported in a statement.
At the new office, a specialized team will be working on core challenges facing autonomous systems. These include the coordination of multi-vehicle coordination, navigation without a GPS signal and real-time decision-making directly within the system. The location was chosen primarily due to its proximity to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH) and the University of Zurich as well as access to highly qualified professionals.
The office will be led by Davide Falanga, Director of Engineering, Autonomy Systems, who has spent the past four years at Skydio’s headquarters in San Mateo, California. “I’m excited to grow a team here that can push the frontier of what drones can do in the real world,” he is quoted as saying. “It is encouraging to see former members of our lab contributing to this effort, and to witness the local ecosystem continuing to translate cutting-edge research into impactful aerial robotics systems,” said Davide Scaramuzza, Professor of Robotics and Perception at the University of Zurich, where Falanga earned his Ph.D.
This new research and development office in Zurich is Skydio’s second in Europe, alongside its presence in Tampere, Finland. The U.S. company concentrates on applications in the military, law enforcement and industrial sectors.
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