Postdoc Drone Landing based on Light Signals in a Maritime Environment

Job description

Offshore wind energy is vital to global sustainability goals, yet high maintenance costs remain a major barrier. This project addresses that challenge by developing drone-based delivery systems for maintenance materials — enabling safer, faster, and more cost-effective servicing of wind turbines at sea. We aim to develop a drone system capable of precise navigation and landing on wind turbines and ships. This involves advanced computer vision, dedicated lighting systems, optical communication, and robust control and guidance algorithms.

You will work on:

• Design and implement computer vision algorithms for accurate landing navigation.
• Develop control and guidance systems for precision landings on moving platforms.
• Create algorithms to decode optical communication signals.
• Conduct real-world test flights to validate system performance on an innovative VTOL platform (https://aerogriduav.com/).
• AI models to predict ship motion to optimize landing timing.

You will work at the MAVLab, which is part of the Control & Simulation department of the Aerospace faculty at the TU Delft. The MAVLab is a growing group of enthusiastic researchers with expertise in control, MAV design, and autonomous flight, and a long tradition in the development of novel MAV concepts, like the Delfly, the Delftacopter, the Nederdrone and the Skewing Wing Quadplane. In 2025, the autonomous racing drone of the MAVLab team defeated human champions at the A2RL Drone Championship in Abu Dhabi. See mavlab.tudelft.nl.

Job Requirements

This position is perfect for you if you possess knowledge of computer vision, system modeling and analysis, control engineering, and when you have experience with drones or other types of hardware.

You have autodidactic skills and can independently conduct ground-breaking research. You have a strong research-oriented attitude, good communication skills and the ability to transfer knowledge and effectively present your challenges and results during progress meetings.

You also have:

• An MSc in computer science, systems and control, robotics, aerospace engineering, or a related field.
• Programming experience in C and Matlab/Python.
• Excellent command of the English language.

Does this position spark excitement in you? If you cannot tick all the boxes but enthusiastic about drones, computer vision and control, we’d like to get to know you!

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details, please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.

TU Delft

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Aerospace Engineering

The Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at Delft University of Technology is one of the world’s most highly ranked (and most comprehensive) research, education and innovation communities devoted entirely to aerospace engineering. More than 200 science staff, around 270 PhD candidates and close to 3000 BSc and MSc students apply aerospace engineering disciplines to address the global societal challenges that threaten us today, climate change without doubt being the most important. Our focal subjects: sustainable aerospace, big data and artificial intelligence, bio-inspired engineering and smart instruments and systems. Working at the faculty means working together. With partners in other faculties, knowledge institutes, governments and industry, both aerospace and non-aerospace. Working in field labs and innovation hubs on our university campus and beyond. 

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering.

Conditions of employment 

• Duration of contract is 1,5 years Temporary
• A job of 36-40 hours per week. 
• Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch 
• An excellent pension scheme via the ABP. 
• The possibility to compile an individual employment package every year. 
• Discount with health insurers on supplemental packages. 
• Flexible working week. 
• Every year, 232 leave hours (at 38 hours). You can also sell or buy additional leave hours via the individual choice budget. 
• Plenty of opportunities for education, training and courses. 
• Partially paid parental leave 
• Attention for working healthy and energetically with the vitality program. 

Will you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? TU Delft is committed to make your move as smooth as possible! The HR unit, Coming to Delft Service, offers information on their website to help you prepare your relocation. In addition, Coming to Delft Service organises events to help you settle in the Netherlands, and expand your (social) network in Delft. A Dual Career Programme is available, to support your accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands.  

Additional information
If you would like more information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact Ewoud Smeur, Assistant Professor, via e.j.j.smeur@tudelft.nl.

Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 12 October 2025 via the application button and upload the following documents:

• A detailed curriculum vitae that explicitly states your educational record, working experience, recent achievements, technical hobby projects (photos/videos) and list of publications.

• A separate motivation letter stating why the proposed research topic interests you.

• (Optionally) (draft) PhD dissertation or relevant authored paper(s).

You can address your application to Ewoud Smeur, Assistant Professor.

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post. 
• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• For the final candidates, a knowledge security check will be part of the application procedure. For more information on this check, please consult Chapter 8 of the National Knowledge Security Guidelines. We carry out this check on the basis of legitimate interest.
• Applying for an exemption for specific research and educational areas is an obligatory part of the selection procedure for this vacancy. This exemption must be obtained from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) before an employment contract is agreed upon. Click here for more information.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.