KKHow can a drone estimate its state and position as accurately as possible, even when flying in an area without a good GPS signal and with only few distinctive visual features such as a desert? As part of his Master’s thesis, Lorenzo Miarelli is working on mathematical methods intended to support drones and robots in autonomous navigation.
When a blindfolded person stands in a dark room, they usually find it difficult to orientate themselves and to complete tasks within the space without external assistance. Drones and robots face similar challenges when they are required to navigate as autonomously as possible and carry out missions in regions without GPS coverage or sensors that provide adequate “self-awareness” of their position in space. With his Master‘s thesis project, Lorenzo Miarelli is working on improving the navigation robustness of robots and drones: “The aim is to enable drones and robots to better understand where they are and how they move , even in situations that would usually cause them to get lost or make errors.” This is the essential prerequisite for performing many of the tasks they will be expected to take on in the future. The key word here is autonomy: “If they work autonomously, they can also take on more complex tasks. Robots and drones can then be used in more challenging environments. However, this also increases the complexity of the research work required to create the necessary conditions,” Lorenzo Miarelli explains.
The deployment of drones and robots is particularly challenging in environments that are unstructured—conceptually similar to a blank sheet of paper. “The sensor we often work with is the camera. Just as humans use their eyesight to find landmarks to orient themselves, we use the camera to extract key features from an image and use them to track the robot’s movement relative to those landmarks,” Miarelli explains. “But when everything looks more or less the same, as in a desert, it is difficult to find distinctive points to track motion.” This is where cleverly fusing data from multiple sensors and using a sophisticated mathematical structure becomes crucial. The interesting challenge, in fact, is integrating and processing all this data in such a way that navigation functions reliably, autonomously and robustly, even in regions with relatively low levels of structure.
Lorenzo Miarelli spent the period from April to November 2025 working on questions such as these as part of a research stay at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California. Now it is time to complete the work and submit his Master’s thesis.
When asked to explain how this unusual research stay came about, Lorenzo Miarelli recounts: “Both Professor Stephan Weiss, head of the Control of Networked Systems group, and Professor Roland Brockers, who works at the University of Klagenfurt and at JPL, had mentioned the possibility of an internship at JPL during their lectures. Since I was particularly fascinated by Professor Weiss’s field of work, I approached him with a specific goal: I asked if I could write my thesis under his supervision on a topic that would also be of interest to JPL. After a joint meeting with him and Roland Brockers, they gave the green light, and my dream came true.” He thoroughly enjoyed his months in California: “NASA’s research facilities make for a fascinating campus, and the surrounding natural environment is also stunning. On the way to my office, you encounter squirrels, hummingbirds, deer and many other animals in the bright sunshine. Every day, I was happy to get up in the morning and go to this incredible workplace: a global hub for space exploration where data from the farthest reaches of our solar system comes together to help us understand our place in the cosmos—a site fittingly known as ‘The Center of the Universe’.”
Lorenzo Miarelli will soon complete his Master’s degree in Information and Communications Engineering at the University of Klagenfurt, marking a significant milestone in an international journey that began in Rome. After completing his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Sapienza Università di Roma in 2022, an initial six-month ERASMUS internship at JOANNEUM Research brought him to Austria.
What started as a short stay evolved into a new chapter of his life: he continued to work as a Robotics Research Engineer at JOANNEUM Research and, at the same time, enrolled in a Master’s programme focusing on ‘Robotics and Autonomous Systems’ at the University of Klagenfurt, just five minutes away from his workplace. In his opinion, Klagenfurt offers many advantages as a place to work and study: “It’s an incredibly international place. At the same time, I can find both peace and quiet here, as well as the inspiration and support I need to make intensive and efficient progress in my field.” This passion for the exact sciences has deep roots. Even while at school, Lorenzo Miarelli enjoyed the challenge of in Maths Olympiads: “I have always had a great passion for mathematics and physics. It took me a long time to realise that robotics offers such an exciting field of work where I can apply my love of mathematics so comprehensively. The fact that I have now been given the opportunity to work on robots in space is, needless to say, an absolute highlight for me.”
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A few words with … Lorenzo Miarelli
When was the last time you discussed your research with someone outside the scientific community?
A couple of weeks ago with friends. I used the ‘blindfolded in a dark room’ analogy to explain how I help robots understand their position in space. I love translating complex concepts into simple terms, seeing that spark of understanding and curiosity in someone’s eyes is incredibly rewarding.
What is the first thing you do in the office each morning?
I start with a coffee ritual. I’m a bit of an enthusiast. I grind my own beans and follow a precise 10-step process to pull the perfect espresso. It’s not just breakfast; it’s a moment of focus before the work begins.
Who do you regard as the greatest scientist in history, and why?
Objectively, Isaac Newton is probably the greatest scientist of all time. However, perhaps with a bit of Italian bias, my choice is Galileo Galilei. Before him, we had philosophers; he gave us the modern scientist. He had the courage to challenge established dogmas, displace humanity from the center of the universe, and define the experimental method we take for granted today. That combination of brilliance and bravery makes him unique.
What makes you furious?
Negligence, superficiality, and selfishness.
And what calms you down?
Deep, honest conversations. Whether with a colleague or a stranger, exchanging ideas helps me order my thoughts and generate new ones. That human connection is what truly grounds me.
Do you take proper holidays? Without thinking about your work?
I love traveling, and that is the only time I can truly disconnect. Otherwise, a part of my brain is always running in the background, trying to solve open problems. There is a funny anecdote about this: right next to the restroom door at our JPL lab, someone posted a sign saying, “The best ideas come in the most unexpected places”. While some places certainly facilitate that “lightbulb moment” more than others, I generally agree with the sentiment: the best solutions often appear when you step away from your desk.
What are you afraid of?
I fear not giving back enough. I’ve been incredibly fortunate with the opportunities I’ve had and the support I’ve received; my biggest fear is not honoring that luck and trust with my best effort every day.
What are you looking forward to?
I want to keep finding the energy to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone. Or, to borrow the motto that inspired me so much at JPL: I look forward to continuing to ‘Dare Mighty Things’.
Der Beitrag Researching at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory during his Master’s programme: Lorenzo Miarelli works on state estimation for drones erschien zuerst auf University of Klagenfurt.