Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques FHRThe RADIKAL project (Radar Sensors for Automated Drone Control with Intelligent Camera Image Processing and Safe Landing) is developing innovative sensor and assistance systems for autonomous transport drones. The goal is to significantly advance the safe and flexible use of drones in logistics—particularly in express delivery, last-mile delivery, and industrial intralogistics.
Drones offer great potential for fast, direct deliveries in the largely unused lower airspace. Time-critical transports, such as medications or urgently needed spare parts, can thus be significantly accelerated. However, a high level of operational safety is a prerequisite for widespread use. Take-off, flight, and landing phases must be carried out reliably and autonomously – even in dynamic, partly unpredictable environments. This is exactly where RADIKAL comes in.
At the heart of the project is the development of highly integrated radar sensors combined with intelligent camera-based image processing. Compared to purely optical systems, radar offers crucial advantages: it operates reliably in rain, fog, or challenging lighting conditions and enables robust obstacle detection. At the same time, cameras provide detailed image information for object classification. By fusing both sensor types using AI, a system is created that detects obstacles early during flight, reacts dynamically to them, and evaluates safe landing sites.
A particular focus is on monitoring the landing area. The system is intended to reliably identify people and other potential hazards and autonomously assess the suitability of a landing site. For this purpose, novel radar designs, adaptive signal processing algorithms, and AI models are being developed that can interpret sensor data and make situation-dependent decisions. The components developed will be integrated into logistics drones and tested and validated in realistic demonstration scenarios.
Project partners and funding
The project is coordinated by HHLA Sky GmbH, formerly Third Element Aviation GmbH (Bielefeld). The consortium also includes it-objects GmbH (Essen), Fraunhofer FHR, and Ruhr University Bochum. Together, the partners combine industrial drone expertise, software and AI know-how, as well as many years of research experience in radar and systems engineering.
RADIKAL is being carried out under the EFRE/JTF Programme NRW 2021–2027 in the period from 2025 to 2027. The project is creating a technological foundation for a new generation of autonomous drone systems that meet higher safety standards, can be used more flexibly, and unlock the market potential of drone-based logistics in a sustainable way.
