Unmanned aerial systems (UAS), such as drones, are becoming increasingly popular for wide range of applications, ranging from delivery and mapping to surveillance. The emergence of the UAS swarm systems, where multiple UAS operate in coordinated formations, might offer advantages regarding improved efficiency and reduced logistical effort. However, UAS swarms also raise concerns about noise pollution, especially in urban environments. The SWOISE project aims to address this issue by investigating the noise generated by drone swarms, how it is perceived by humans, and how swarm configurations can be optimized to minimize acoustic impact. Within the project, the task of IHTA is to focus on the psychoacoustic analysis of UAS swarm noise by creating binaural sound samples using simulations of urban overflights, and analyzing them through perceptual and objective evaluations. This research will be mostly carried out by our post doctoral researcher Jithin Thilakan, who recently joined our team.
SWOISE is funded by the German aviation research program LuFo VI-3 and brings together four research partners:
- Institute of Air Transport Systems (ILT), TU Hamburg (Prof. Dr.-Ing. Volker Gollnick)
- Chair of Flight Guidance and Air Traffic, TU Berlin (Prof. Dr. ir. Maarten Uijt de Haag)
- Institute for Hearing Technology and Acoustics (IHTA), RWTH Aachen University (Prof. Dr.-Ing. Janina Fels)
- German Aerospace Center (DLR Hamburg: Institute of Air Transport – associate partner)
The project officially launched with a kick-off meeting on July 8th, 2025, at TU Hamburg, where researchers from all partner institutions gathered to discuss the research plans and future steps. We look forward to advancing this collaborative effort and contributing towards quieter and more environment-friendly aviation.
The SWOISE research team at the official kick-off meeting at TU Hamburg
