Friday, 6 March DTU celebrated the new autonomous systems test facility's topping-out with the involved contractors, and some of the future users.
Autonomous Systems Test Arena (ASTA) is a new facility for cooperating autonomous systems in the air, on the ground, on the water and below the water surface. Here researchers and student can test a wide range of autonomous systems, including self-operating drones, robots and small submarines.
A unique test facility
The 950 m2 airdome test arena is 14 meter high, and is held up by 10,000 cubic meters of air. The unique arena is divided into three sections with drone net. In one end is a pool 3.5 x 6.5 x 3m deep. It is situated in the third quadrant of DTU Lyngby Campus, and was established with the help of students and staff by the end of February this year.
ASTA will be utilized as a temporary test facility for the next 6–8 years, all while DTU will strive to establish a more permanent building.
At the topping-out ceremony speeches were given by head of DTU Electrical Engineering Preben Jørgensen, Campus Service project manager Michael Cole, senior researcher Patrizio Mariani, DTU Aqua, astrophysicist and chief adviser Michael Linden-Vørnle, DTU Space, Søren Blok, MOE Consulting Engineers, on behalf of the contractors, and last but not least Peter Brøgger, DenForm (the research pool contractor).
Departments DTU Electrical Engineering, DTU Aqua, and DTU Space are involved in the test arena.
ASTA will open in spring 2020.
Head of Department DTU Electrical Engineering Preben Jørgensen.
Guests at the topping-out ceremony.
The new Autonomous Systems Test Arena for both students and researchers is unrivalled by other universities in Europe.
Photos: Ole Ravn and Jens Christian Andersen