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The SDU UAS Center , part of the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute , invites applications for one or more postdoc positions on autonomous flight in confined and cluttered environments for multi-rotor drones. The positions are for a two-year employment with a flexible start date. What We Offer The successful candidates will become part of the SDU UAS Center, where we conduct cutting-edge research in civilian drone technologies and future drone applications in critical sectors, such as agriculture, inspection, energy, and healthcare. At the heart of our mission is the creation of groundbreaking drone solutions that address key societal challenges. We are committed to fostering a dynamic and inspiring work environment where creativity flourishes. We often collaborate closely with world-leading companies, some of which are part of the vibrant robotic startup community around Odense. The positions are tied to the development of an Automated Service Inspection (ASI) system for wind turbines, carried out in close collaboration with Vestas. Wind energy is a cornerstone of the green transition, yet the industry depends heavily on manual inspections and a shrinking pool of service technicians. Autonomous drones that can fly safely inside and around turbine structures are a key enabler for scalable, data-driven maintenance, promising less downtime, improved safety, and higher energy production across a growing global fleet. Work Area The successful candidates will conduct research and development within autonomous flight in confined spaces, where safety and robustness under real-world conditions are paramount. Flying close to and inside turbine structures, such as the tower interior, raises fundamental research challenges: navigation without reliable GNSS, perception in geometrically complex environments, and safe motion planning within centimetres of critical infrastructure. Concretely, the work will include the following: State estimation and localisation in GNSS-denied, confined environments (visual-inertial odometry (VIO), simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM), sensor fusion). Real-time perception. Motion planning and control for safe, agile flight in close proximity to obstacles and infrastructure. Prototyping of drones and payloads tailored to confined-space inspection, from concept and mechanical/electronics integration to flight-ready platforms. Integration of autonomy with onboard inspection payloads (cameras, microphones) and existing turbine data. Operation and flight testing of multi-rotor UAS, including experiments at turbine sites. During the appointment, the successful candidates will also have the opportunity to work on related autonomy challenges across the center’s project portfolio, where autonomous flight under demanding real-world conditions is a recurring theme. The positions may involve co-supervising related student projects. The candidates will be part of the SDU UAS Center and are expected to participate in the center's project portfolio and outreach activities. We Expect We expect that you hold a PhD degree or expect to be awarded one before the start date, within engineering, robotics, computer science, or another related field. You do not need to cover every area below, but you should have experience with, and a genuine interest in, some of the following: Research and development within autonomous navigation, state estimation, or motion planning for robots or UAS. Research and development within UAS platforms, subsystems, and payloads. Prototyping of drones and payloads (mechanical design, electronics, systems integration). Perception and machine learning for robotics. Software design and development (C, C++, Python), including real-time and embedded systems. UAS operations (experiments, piloting). We furthermore expect that you publish findings at recognised international conferences and in top-ranked, peer-reviewed jour