CMU-Q Student Researchers Explore AI-Powered Drones to Clean, Inspect Solar Panels

(MENAFN) A group of student researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q), a Qatar Foundation partner university, is working on a new approach to clean solar panels to help them operate more efficiently under Qatar's weather conditions. Led by Eduardo Feo Flushing, a visiting assistant teaching professor of computer science at CMU-Q, the team is looking to program aerial robots using AI to inspect and clean solar panels.

The team will also receive mentorship from Dhanup Somasekharan Pillai, a scientist at the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), a collaborating institute of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU). The project is funded by an Undergraduate Research Experience Program grant from the Qatar National Research Fund.

The team aims to develop a solution to the challenge of cleaning and inspecting solar panels by employing small, agile, and cost-effective hybrid drones. The drones will be programmed with Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms to learn maneuvers that facilitate the cleaning and inspection tasks.

The student team comprises one student from Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Mohamed Mahedi Hasan, and five students from Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar: Abrar Tasneem Abir, Devang Acharya, Deep Chandra, Diram Tabaa, and Nurassyl Zekenov. The multidisciplinary team brings together expertise in programming, engineering, sustainability, design, and hardware.

Michael Trick, dean of CMU-Q, highlighted the practical application of the project, stating that the students would be working to solve a real problem for solar energy in Qatar, which is keeping the panels dust-free. Trick looks forward to seeing how the students can contribute meaningfully to the renewable energy sector in Qatar.

Dr. Marc Vermeersch, Executive Director at QEERI, expressed his delight in mentoring the next generation of innovators, researchers, and scientists. He welcomed the CMU-Q students to the outdoor testing facility, reaffirming the institute's commitment to cultivating a culture of collaboration and knowledge-sharing.

CMU-Q offers undergraduate programs in biological sciences, business administration, computer science, and information systems. Students regularly work in multidisciplinary teams to create solutions to various real-world challenges. Deep Chandra, an information systems junior at CMU-Q, is particularly excited about the project's multidisciplinary approach. He believes that, with the team's expertise and collaboration, they can create an excellent solution to the challenge of cleaning and inspecting solar panels.

In conclusion, the CMU-Q student researchers are exploring a new way to clean solar panels using AI-powered drones. The team's use of hybrid drones, small and cost-effective, programmed with AI algorithms, will facilitate the cleaning and inspection tasks. This innovative solution has practical applications for the renewable energy sector in Qatar and demonstrates CMU-Q's commitment to multidisciplinary solutions to real-world challenges.

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