Remotely operated drone platform for inspection, testing and maintenance of infrastructure at height
Aithon Robotics
Dübendorf (Innovation Park Zurich)New on Amplifa
About Aithon Robotics
Aithon Robotics develops and operates a remotely controlled inspection and work drone for tasks at great height. The drone flies to hard-to-reach surfaces, anchors itself to the structure via a suction system and performs precise work there – such as drilling, non-destructive evaluation (NDE), surface scanning and the installation of sensors for structural health monitoring. Power is supplied via a tether cable, enabling continuous operation; interchangeable tools make the platform versatile. As of 2025, operation at heights from 50 metres is offered with high-voltage tether integration. Areas of use include bridges, towers, facades and industrial facilities, eliminating scaffolding and road closures and minimising risk to people. The company was founded by engineers from the ETH Zurich environment and is based at Innovation Park Zurich on the Dübendorf Airfield. A documented use case is a core sampling operation on a motorway bridge.
- Site
- Dübendorf
- Processes
- Attachment drilling on hard-to-reach surfaces (drilling on the anchored drone system), Scanning / non-destructive evaluation (NDE), Sensor installation for Structural Health Monitoring, Core sampling (e.g. on a motorway bridge), Infrastructure inspection, Maintenance at height, Non-destructive evaluation (NDE), Sensor installation (Structural Health Monitoring)
- Materials
- Non-destructive material testing, Structural Health Monitoring, Core Sampling
- Industries
- Infrastructure (bridges, towers), Industrial facilities, Construction, Engineering
- 01
Analysis of the deployment environment (object, height, indoor/outdoor)
- 02
Approach and suction attachment of the drone to the structure
- 03
Tool change per application (drilling, scanning, sensors)
- 04
Execution of the test or installation on the anchored system
- 05
Documentation of the data for NDE and monitoring
Processes and Fields of Application
Non-destructive material testing
Data acquisition for assessing infrastructure without interfering with the structure.
Structural Health Monitoring
Installation of sensors for permanent monitoring of structural integrity.
Core Sampling
Taking material samples from hard-to-access structures, e.g. motorway bridges.
Location
Dübendorf
CHSite / office at Innovation Park Zurich (Dübendorf Airfield)
- Perch-and-stare inspection drone with suction attachment and tether power supply
- Interchangeable tools (tool-changing system)
Applications
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Testing | – | 50m+ (operational flight altitude) | – | – | – |
| Attachment drilling on hard-to-reach surfaces (drilling on the anchored drone system)Machining | – | – | – | – | – |
| Scanning / non-destructive evaluation (NDE)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Sensor installation for Structural Health MonitoringAssembly | – | – | – | – | – |
| Core sampling (e.g. on a motorway bridge)Machining | – | – | – | – | – |
1 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | AITHON Robotics | 1 | – | – | Dübendorf, Switzerland |
Additional services
History
- 2025
Website homepage published (July 2025)
- 2025
Operation from 50 m height with high-voltage tether integration announced