Height access technology with robot ballooncopters and in-house manufacturing of LTA systems
Aerobotics
Zwickau (DE)New on Amplifa
About Aerobotics
Since 2009, Aerobotics has been developing height access technology in Zwickau and manufactures in its own workshop gas-, air- and water-filled bodies: balloons, airships up to 12 m in length, storage cells and creative objects for industry, research, culture, events and advertising. Production is carried out by converting technical films, textiles and coated fabrics using industrial sewing machines, various sealing processes, ultrasonic welding and bonding techniques, including cutting patterns for complex 3D shapes. In addition, the company offers the Aerialworker 1, the first overhead-operating robot ballooncopter for structural inspection according to DIN 1076 and VDI 6200. Two lightweight robot arms reach a working area of 16 m² and gaps from 10 cm from a single position – for example on ceiling undersides, in steel trusses, bridge piers, shafts, silos and halls. The multi-tool system enables, in addition to optical analysis, mechanical structural analysis such as weld seam testing, NDT inspection, paint thickness measurement and core drilling up to 50 mm. The reference project is the inspection of the pier structures of the Köhlbrand Bridge on behalf of the HPA.
- Site
- Zwickau
- Processes
- Structural inspection / structural diagnostics (inspection according to DIN 1076, VDI 6200) with, Mechanical structural analysis: weld seam testing, paint thickness measurement, NDT inspection, Surveying & digitization: photogrammetry, 3D scanning, thermographic measurement, cartography, Structural monitoring: thermography, temperature, humidity, air analysis, shock measurement, Manufacturing of LTA systems: balloons, airships (blimps) up to 12 m in length, gas storage cells, Tailoring/converting of films and fabrics with industrial sewing machines, sealing processes, Development and prototype construction for lighter-than-air technologies (consulting, planning,, Structural inspection according to DIN 1076 and VDI 6200
- Materials
- Helium, Technical films, Technical textiles, Coated fabrics, Concrete, Steel (steel structures/steel trusses), Lighter-than-Air manufacturing, Technical textiles and coated fabrics
- Certificates
- Structural inspection according to DIN 1076 / VDI 6200
- Founded
- 2009
- Industries
- Structural inspection/civil engineering, Infrastructure, Industrial and production facilities, Research, Culture/events, Advertising
- 01
Consulting and planning
- 02
Cutting pattern design for 3D shapes
- 03
Converting (sewing, sealing, ultrasonic welding, bonding)
- 04
Prototype construction
- 05
Transport, assembly and on-site technical support
Materials & Processes
Lighter-than-Air manufacturing
Converting balloons, airships up to 12 m and storage cells for gas or water as one-offs or small series.
Technical films
High-performance films as base material for load-bearing systems, storage cells and objects.
Technical textiles and coated fabrics
Materials with high barrier properties for permanently inflatable bodies and storage cells.
Helium
Lifting gas for ballooncopters and LTA systems with sustainable helium recovery.
Ultrasonic welding
Sealing process for processing films and fabrics in the company's own workshop.
Locations
Zwickau
DEWorkshop and business office
- Part weight / size
- Airships up to 12 m in length
- Lot size
- One-offs to small series
- Materials
- Technical films, textiles, coated fabrics
- Industrial sewing machines
- Ultrasonic welding machine
- Aerialworker 1 (robot ballooncopter)
- Aerialworker 2 (ballooncopter)
Systems & Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structural inspection / structural diagnostics (inspection according to DIN 1076, VDI 6200) withTesting | – | – | – | – | Concrete, Steel |
| Mechanical structural analysis: weld seam testing, paint thickness measurement, NDT inspectionTesting | – | – | – | – | Steel, Concrete |
| Surveying & digitization: photogrammetry, 3D scanning, thermographic measurement, cartographyTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Structural monitoring: thermography, temperature, humidity, air analysis, shock measurementTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Manufacturing of LTA systems: balloons, airships (blimps) up to 12 m in length, gas storage cellsEngineering | – | 12 m | – | One-off/unique piece – Small series | technical films, technical textiles, coated fabrics |
| Tailoring/converting of films and fabrics with industrial sewing machines, sealing processesPlastics | – | – | – | – | technical films, technical textiles, coated fabrics |
| Development and prototype construction for lighter-than-air technologies (consulting, planning,Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
5 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerialworker 1 (robot ballooncopter with 2 lightweight robot arms, overhead-operating) | Aerobotics Aerialworker 1 | – | Operating radius of the robot arms on a 16 m² working area from one position; gaps from 10 cm | – | Zwickau |
| Aerialworker 2 (ballooncopter for digital measurement and visualization technologies) | Aerobotics Aerialworker 2 | – | – | – | Zwickau |
| Industrial sewing machine | – | various | – | – | Own workshop Zwickau |
| Ultrasonic welding machine | – | – | – | – | Own workshop Zwickau |
| Aerostat (electric hybrid aerostat, payload 5.5 kg) | Levitate | – | 9 m in length | – | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality & Safety
The Aerialworker system is deployed without any risk of falling for equipment or personnel thanks to purely mechanical-physical stabilization, without take-off authorization, dust- and noise-free, and with helium recovery.
| Evidence | Zwickau |
|---|---|
| Structural inspection according to DIN 1076 / VDI 6200 |
History
- 2009
Start of the development and manufacturing of gas-, air- and water-filled bodies in the company's own workshop
Development of the Aerialworker 1, the first overhead-operating robot ballooncopter for structural inspection
Inspection of the inner surfaces of the pier structures of the Köhlbrand Bridge in Hamburg on behalf of the HPA