Internship/M.Sc. thesis: Data Processing, Communication, and Reduction Architecture

Fraunhofer Italia with headquarters in Bolzano (Italy) is offering an internship position in its division Automation and Mechatronics Engineering (AME).

AME conducts applied research in the most diverse aspects of digitalisation for the benefit of the regional stakeholders.

The fields of expertise range from the extraction, analysis and optimisation of processes from operative production and logistic systems, novel control paradigms for production systems, design and prototyping of complex mechatronic systems, applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), real-time data processing and process mining of business processes.

Are you a prospective student willing to undertake an experience with us? If so, apply for this position at Fraunhofer Italia!

• The topic
• Data Processing, Communication, and Reduction Architecture

This internship and thesis topic focuses on the design and implementation of a modular ground station architecture for UAV-based inspection missions.

The aim is to create a robust data-handling system capable of receiving, synchronizing, reducing, and visualizing multiple data streams such as RGB imagery, Li DAR point clouds, telemetry, and mission metadata.

The focus will be on improving communication reliability, ensuring data consistency, and optimizing bandwidth utilization.

The system will incorporate adaptive data reduction and prioritization mechanisms to manage data transmission efficiently.

Redundant or uninformative content, such as empty sky or uniform terrain, will be filtered out, while compression and downsampling strategies will be applied according to bandwidth and mission constraints.

Middleware frameworks will be explored to ensure interoperability and modularity between UAV and ground components.

A complementary aspect of the work will focus on visualization and operator-support tools for real-time monitoring.

This includes displaying inspection coverage, flight progress, and semantically enriched Li DAR data transmitted from the UAV.

Validation will take place through experiments and semi-field tests, measuring performance in terms of throughput, latency, and reduction efficiency.

Requirements

• You are a university or high school student in a MINT discipline and looking for hands‑on experience.
• You have knowledge of programming in C++ or Python and an interest in data communication, software architecture, or UAV systems.
• You work independently, systematically, and with a high level of commitment, creativity, and team spirit.
• You are an EU citizen or have a valid work permit for Italy.
• You are proficient in English; knowledge of Italian or German is an advantage.
• The internship is carried out in presence at our premises in Bolzano.
• Your task

Your main activity will consist of designing and implementing components of a modular data‑handling system.

You will develop algorithms for data synchronization, communication, and reduction, and validate their performance under controlled conditions.

Depending on duration and focus, the internship may evolve into a bachelor’s or master’s thesis.

As an equal opportunity employer, Fraunhofer Italia treats all applications fairly and impartially, evaluating each candidate solely on their qualifications and suitability.

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