Designing Fault-Tolerant Drone Swarms for Flash Flood Risk Assessment
Develop innovative drone-based remote sensing systems to enhance flood monitoring and prediction through distributed computing and environmental data collection.
Best for:Best for computer science PhD candidates with expertise in distributed systems, autonomous drones, and environmental monitoring, seeking interdisciplinary research in flood risk assessment and cyber-physical systems.
Overview
This doctoral project at ENAC (France) focuses on designing fault-tolerant drone swarms to improve flash flood risk assessment. The interdisciplinary research combines computer science expertise with hydrology to address the limitations of current remote sensing techniques. The goal is to create high-resolution, real-time environmental monitoring systems that enable better flood forecasting and crisis response. Applicants will work on distributed algorithms, wireless networks, and cyber-physical systems to advance drone-based remote sensing for natural hazard management. The project is funded under Horizon Europe’s COFUND programme and involves collaboration with hydrologists and computer scientists.
What you'll do
- Design and implement fault-tolerant distributed algorithms for drone swarm coordination and data collection.
- Develop wireless communication protocols and mission planning systems for autonomous drone operations.
- Collaborate with hydrologists to integrate drone-collected data into flood risk assessment models.
- Conduct field experiments to validate drone swarm performance in real-world flood monitoring scenarios.
- Analyze and optimize data processing pipelines for real-time flood prediction and decision-making support.
- Publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and present results at international conferences.
- Contribute to interdisciplinary research by bridging computer science and environmental science domains.
Requirements
Degree required: Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field with a strong focus on distributed systems, robotics, or computer networks.
Degree offered: PhD
Language: English; excellent proficiency required for research collaboration and publication
Instruction: English
- Proven expertise in distributed systems and algorithms
- Experience with autonomous systems or drone technology
- Strong programming skills (e.g., Python, C++, or similar)
- Background in wireless networks or embedded systems
- Familiarity with environmental data analysis or remote sensing techniques
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
- Applicants must hold a Master's degree or equivalent in a relevant field.
- Research experience between 1 to 4 years is preferred.
- No specific nationality restrictions, but eligibility for Horizon Europe funding applies.
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: 2026-11-16 (Europe/Paris)
Applicants must submit a complete application package including a CV, a cover letter, a research proposal, academic transcripts, and two reference letters. The application should be sent via email to the provided contact address. Additional documents may be requested during the review process.
- CV
- Cover letter
- Research proposal
- Academic transcripts (BSc + MSc)
- Two reference letters
Contact
Recruitment Contact· ENAC Research Office
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