HARPA · Heterogeneous Aerial Robot Teams for in-situ Prefabricated Building Assembly

Construction at height or remote locations still relies heavily on cranes, scaffolding, and human workers operating at height, leading to high logistical costs and significant safety risks. Aerial robotic construction offers a promising alternative; however, current approaches remain limited to linear, vertical assembly performed by single drones, which constrains efficiency, robustness, and the realization of complex structural geometries. The HARPA project introduces a radically new paradigm for aerial robotic construction based on heterogeneous, cooperative aerial robot collectives. It distinguishes between two complementary types of aerial robot systems: Cable-suspended Aerial Multi-Lifting Systems (CAMLs) and Aerial Robotic Manipulators (ARMs). CAMLs consist of multiple drones connected to the large prefabricated components through cables to collaboratively lift and transport them. In addition to significantly larger load capacities, CAMLs can also manipulate the orientation of heavy construction elements, enabling non-trivial geometries and large-span structures. ARMs are drones equipped with lightweight robotic arms that enable precise mechanical interactions—such as pushing, pulling, or bolt fastening—to assist CAMLs during installation and enable interconnections of the building elements. HARPA will develop both the hardware and hybrid (centralized–decentralized) algorithms for multi-agent planning, control, and perception, enabling fully autonomous cooperative building assembly. HARPA will also pioneer an Aerial-Robot-Oriented Design (AROD) framework in architecture, integrating interlocking mechanisms and design principles that intrinsically account for aerial robotic constraints from the earliest stages of conception. Finally, the HARPA solution will be validated through the autonomous construction of a human-scale pavilion within a controlled experimental environment, and exploration in lifting and manipulating real-scale structures of over 200kg.