Aníbal Ollero Baturone, professor at the University of Seville and the researcher with the most articles published worldwide related to unmanned aerial vehicles and aerial robotics, was awarded an honorary doctorate today by the University of Malaga.

The ceremony followed all the established protocol and was presided over by the Rector of the University of Malaga (UMA), Teodomiro López. The honor of being his sponsor fell to Alfonso García Cerezo, Professor of Systems Engineering and Automation at the UMA. Both presented Ollero with the attributes and symbols recognizing his merits for receiving an honorary doctorate, such as the laurel wreath, the Book of Science, the ring, the white gloves, and the doctoral medal.

The investiture was attended by the Vice-Rectors for Knowledge Transfer and Research of the University of Seville, Felipe Rosa and Julián Martínez, respectively, as well as members of the Management of the Higher Technical School of Engineering of the University of Seville, where he teaches, as well as friends and colleagues from the Department. 

Professor Ollero was accompanied by a large group of academic and institutional representatives, headed by the Mayor of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre, as well as former rectors Adelaida de la Calle and José María Martín Delgado and the general director of Malaga Tech Park, Felipe Romera, who also holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Malaga.

Aníbal Ollero is a world-renowned expert in the field of aerial robotics. He currently directs the GRVC (Robotics, Vision and Control Research Laboratory)—comprising over 75 members from the Higher Technical School of Engineering at the University of Seville—which is part of the Association for Research and Industrial Cooperation of Andalusia (AICIA). He is also the scientific director of the Advanced Center for Aerospace Technologies (CATEC), with over 130 members.

Leading research group in its field

His group is a leader in aerial robotics. He has participated in more than 190 research and development projects, including 45 funded by the European Commission, as well as others sponsored by NASA, various national research programs (80), and other regional programs. In addition, he has been the principal investigator on more than 50 contracts with industry.

He has presented results in more than 900 publications. Author or co-author of 11 books, he has supervised more than 55 doctoral theses, including that of his sponsor at the ceremony, Alfonso García Cerezo, who also highlighted his strong connection to Málaga. In fact, he was the first director of the Higher Technical School of Industrial Engineers, the precursor—along with the Polytechnic School—to the current School of Industrial Engineering.

Delving deeper into the content of his work, it is worth noting that Ollero has developed methods, technologies, and applications in unmanned aerial systems, robotics, control, and autonomous systems in general, including the first intelligent flapping-wing robots capable of landing and manipulation. He has also built aerial robots with ground locomotion capabilities for the inspection and maintenance of infrastructure, including power lines and overhead pipelines.

He has received some thirty awards and distinctions, among which the following stand out: the Overall ICT Innovation Radar Award - which was awarded to him by the European Commission in 2017 - the King Jaime I Award in New Technologies (2019), where the jury noted "his invaluable ability to combine excellence in research and technological innovation, with the transfer of technology to companies in the field of aerial robotics" and the Leonardo Torres Quevedo National Research Award, in 2021.

Jobs

Having explained his merits, and already "crowned" with the mortarboard, Professor Ollero gave an exhibition of some of his work, in a talk entitled 'Bio-inspired and deformable aerial robots' in which he made clear his leadership in the field.

For his part, the rector of the University of Malaga pointed out that the recognition given to him by the University of Malaga "not only pays tribute to an exemplary career, but also reflects the firm commitment of our institution to the great scientific, technological and social challenges of our time.".

According to Teodomiro López, Ollero's connection to science embodies "many of the values ​​we aspire to strengthen as a university: academic excellence, ambition to innovate, and social responsibility." "His character and career," the rector continued, "make robotics and automated systems transformative tools, placed at the service of people and geared toward building a safer future.".

“His laboratories have produced not only intelligent drones: they have given rise to real solutions for the service of society, systems capable of intervening in forest fires, locating victims in extreme environments or collaborating in the reforestation of devastated areas,” he added, while praising the new honorary doctor's ability to do science that is not limited to mere discovery, “but is combined with the duty to protect, prevent and improve our lives.”.