Doctoral candidate Joachim Wallisch at the Department of Engineering Cybernetics and NTNU UAV Icing Lab will hold a trial lecture and defend his doctoral thesis for the degree of philosophia Doctor (PhD.)
Thesis title Recucing Energy Consumption of UAVs in Icing Conditions with Active Electrothermal De-Icing Protection Systems
Trial Lecture Related Challenges in Aviation: Surface Icing, Ice Shedding, and Contrail Formation
Time and venue
The PhD trial lecture and defence are both open to the public:
Trial lecture: 20 July 2026 at 10:15 – Disputasrommet, Main Building, Gløshaugen, NTNU
Defence of thesis: 20 July 2026 13:15 – Disputasrommet, Main Building, Gløshaugen, NTNU
You may also follow the defense online: Teams meeting
Assessment Committe
First opponent: Professor Serkan Özgen, Middle East Technical University
Second opponent: Assisant Professor Alyssa Avery, Oklahoma State University
Internal member: Professor Damiano Varagnolo, Department of Engineering Cybernetics
Professor Damiano Varagnolo, Department of Engineering Cybernetics NTNU, is appointed as the administrator of the assessment committee.
The committee has concluded that the thesis is worthy of public defense for the PhD degree.
Supervisors
Main supervisor: Dr Richard Hann
Co-supervisor: Professor Tor Arne Johansen
Dr Kasper Trolle Borup
Abstract
The operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can be limited by severe weather conditions, such as in-flight icing. Significant aerodynamic degradation can prevent operators from completing their flight missions or even starting them. Electrothermal de-icing ice protection systems are a popular method to mitigate the negative effects of ice accretion on wings. However, these systems require a lot of energy. This thesis investigated how electrothermal systems can be operated with reduced energy needs. This includes the heating energy required to remove ice from the surface and the increase in drag caused by ice growth while the system is idle. Reducing the required energy increases the aircraft’s range in icing conditions and can make UAV operation in these conditions viable.
