FU-DRONE: AERIAL ROBOTS FOR ACCURATE FABRICATION

FU-DRONE: AERIAL ROBOTS FOR ACCURATE FABRICATION

20th — 22nd April

10:00 AM — 9:00PM (SGT)

3 days

Multi-Purpose Hall

12 PAX

PHILIP F. YUAN
TONGJI UNIVERSITY

XINJIE XIE
TONGJI UNIVERSITY

MENGHAO YUAN
TONGJI UNIVERSITY

NAME
DESIGNATION

In the context of sustainability, drones offer innovative construction methods. In high-risk environments or places difficult for humans to access, such as high altitudes, high radiation areas, steep mountainous regions, or ocean platforms, drones can replace manual labor, thereby improving efficiency and reducing personnel risk. Additionally, drone construction reduces reliance on traditional support structures like scaffolding, reducing resource consumption and waste generation. Moreover, in the construction of extraterrestrial habitats such as Mars, where the environment is complex and unknown, drones can serve as efficient and safe construction tools to help achieve these goals.

However, for drones that rely entirely on aerial support, achieving accurate positioning and precise operations is a significant challenge. To address this, we propose an aerial compensation operation method based on a 6-degree-of-freedom parallel arm, which can compensate for positioning errors of drones while allowing for free changes in end effector posture. Thus, drones can serve as precise mediators to translate digital designs into tangible structures.

In this workshop, we will introduce: 1) Methodology, hardware and software composition, and basic dynamics of aerial robotic construction. 2) Methodology and case studies of architectural design suitable for aerial robotic construction. 3) Using FURobot to control aerial robots for real-time trajectory tracking, process control, and other tasks.

During the workshop, two parallel lines of activities will unfold: 1) the learning section of construction methodology—where we will group learn how to assemble and operate aerial robots, allowing small-scale experimentation with foam for free construction; 2) the group construction section—where we will use aerial robots to complete a unique full- scale research prototype.

This workshop aims to immerse participants in the entire process of advanced aerial robotic construction methodology and its implementation, cultivating not only their strong awareness of sustainability and innovation but also providing a panoramic experience of architectural aerial robotic construction. Ultimately, we will collaboratively use aerial robots to complete a beautiful full-scale research prototype composed of non-horizontal discrete units.

Participants Requirements

Required skills: PC(Windows), Rhino.& Grasshopper

REGISTRATION CLOSES 18 APRIL 2024

INSTRUCTORS

Dr. Philip F. Yuan

Professor: College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University

Philip F. Yuan serves as the Vice Dean and tenured professor at the College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University. He is an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA), a member of the Academic Committee of the International 3D Printing Society (3DTRB), a council member of the Professional Practice Commission of the International Union of Architects (UIA-PPC), and the chairman of the Global Digital Architecture Association (DigitalFUTURES) and CDRF International Conference. He is the editor-in-chief of the journal “Architectural Intelligence” and a visiting professor at MIT, RMIT University, and holds the Thomas Jefferson Chair Professorship at the University of Virginia.

In 2023, he became the first Chinese recipient of the Auguste Perret Architectural Technology Prize from the International Union of Architects (UIA). In 2022, he received the International Architectural Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects and the Global Design Award from Dezeen. In 2020, he was awarded the Global ACADIA Academic Innovation Award, and in 2021, he received the first prize in the Huaxia Construction Science and Technology Awards (Rank 1). He also received the second prize in the Ministry of Education’s Scientific and Technological Progress Awards (Rank 1) in 2020, as well as the China Publishing Government Award for Books in the fifth edition. He has led more than ten national and provincial-level research projects, published 18 books in both Chinese and English, authored over 300 papers, and applied for and obtained 50 national invention patents (with 15 successfully transformed into practical applications). His works have been exhibited at the Venice Architecture Biennale, Chicago Architecture Biennial, Moscow Architecture Biennale, Milan Triennial Exhibition, etc. His works are permanently collected by several art museums including the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York, M+ in Hong Kong, and the Pompidou Center in France.

XINJIE XIE

PHD STUDENT: College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University

Xie Xingjie is a member of the Architectural Intelligence and Digital Construction Team (AIDC) at Tongji University. He is also a Ph.D. candidate in the field of architectural technology at Tongji University. His research area focuses on aerial robotic construction. His current research encompasses the processes of aerial robotic masonry construction and aerial robotic concrete additive manufacturing.

Menghao Yuan

PHD STUDENT: Shanghai Research Institute for Autonomous Intelligent Systems, Tongji University

Menghao ‘Lyle’ Yuan is a PhD candidate at the Shanghai Research Institute for Autonomous Intelligent Systems, Tongji University in Shanghai, China. He received his Master’s Degree in Architecture from RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, and has had years of experience practicing digital architecture and fabrication before pursuing his PhD. His main research interests relate to robotic sensing and localization in the process of digital fabrication and construction, looking to take the autonomy and precision of digital construction to a higher level.

Philip Yuan

professor and associate dean, Tongji University,
Honorary Fellow of American Institute of Architecture (Hon. FAIA).
co-founder, DigitalFUTURES Association,
Editor-in-Chief, Architectural Intelligence journal
founding partner, Archi-Union Architects & Fab-Union Technology

Philip F. Yuan is a professor and associate dean of the College of Architecture and Urban Planning at Tongji University, Honorary Fellow of American Institute of Architecture (Hon. FAIA). He is also the co-founder of DigitalFUTURES Association, a global educational initiative with a particular emphasis on the latest computational design and fabrication technologies, Editor-in-Chief of Architectural Intelligence journal, and founding partner of Archi-Union Architects & Fab-Union Technology. Yuan has served as Thomas Jefferson professor at University of Virginia (2019), the visiting professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2019), and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (2021). He has also served as council member of UIA Professional Practice Commission (PPC).

Yuan was attributed with UIA 2023 The Auguste Perret Prize for Technology in Architecture. His work has been recognized with notable awards, including 2022 AIA Open International | Architecture Honor Award, 2022 Dezeen Award Best Civic Building, 2020 ACADIA Innovative Academic Program Award of Excellence and etc.

Yuan has participated in Venice biennale, Chicago biennale, Milan triennial, Tallin biennale, etc. His works have been collected by MOMA New York City, M+ Hong Kong and Centre National d’art et de Culture Georges Pompidou.