Marco TognonView profile
Assistant Professor
Dr. Marco Tognon is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering at ETH Zurich, specializing in aerial robotics with a particular focus on tethered systems and physical interaction capabilities. Born in Italy in 1989, he completed his doctoral studies at INSA Toulouse in 2018 under the supervision of Antonio Franchi and Juan Cortés. His academic journey has taken him through LAAS-CNRS for postdoctoral research before establishing his independent research group at ETH Zurich. Dr. Tognon's research interests center on aerial robotics, particularly tethered aerial vehicles and their physical interaction capabilities. His work spans control theory for aerial robots, motion planning, human-robot collaboration, and aerial manipulation systems. He has developed novel approaches for cable-suspended load transportation, physical human-aerial robot interaction, and specialized aerial platforms like the Geranos tilted-rotors system for pole transportation. His research bridges theoretical control frameworks with practical implementation in real-world scenarios, especially in industrial and agricultural applications. His publication record demonstrates consistent productivity with numerous high-impact publications in IEEE Transactions on Robotics, IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, and major conferences like ICRA and IROS. Recent work (2023-2025) shows particular emphasis on agricultural applications (tree shaking), specialized aerial platforms, and advanced control techniques for physical human-robot interaction. His research group maintains strong international collaborations, particularly with institutions in France, Italy, and Switzerland. Specialized aerial manipulation systems for agricultural tasks Novel aerial platforms for specific transportation needs Advanced control frameworks for physical human-robot interaction Rigorous theoretical foundations with experimental validation Dr. Tognon's work exemplifies the integration of theoretical control principles with practical robotics applications, with increasing focus on real-world implementation in agricultural and industrial settings. His research group provides students with opportunities to work at the cutting edge of aerial robotics while addressing practical challenges in physical interaction scenarios.