Girls’ Adventure Day! TECH UP: From Drones To Energy Harvesters – hands-on Technology
10 November, 2026
At the “Girls! TECH UP” experience day held at the Haus der Ingenieure in Vienna, UAS Technikum Wien used drones and a wind energy harvester to demonstrate how embedded systems and power electronics can be experienced in practice. Academic programs, research, and specific career prospects were directly linked to the demonstrations.
With a joint presentation by the Faculty of Electronic Engineering & Entrepreneurship, UAS Technikum Wien took center stage right from the start at the Girls! TECH UP experience day on October 8, 2026: The research areas of Embedded Systems (headed by Roman Beneder) and Power Electronics and Control Systems (headed by Johannes Gragger) presented hands-on demonstrations, offered concrete insights into degree programs and research, and made tangible career paths in technology accessible to girls.
Bringing Energy to Life: From Wind Power to Batteries
At the UAS Technikum Wien booth, Julia Bauer from the Power Electronics and Control Systems area of expertise demonstrated a wind turbine as an energy-harvesting system. The setup illustrated how the wind turbine drives a generator and how a power electronics converter regulates the rotational motion so that a battery can be charged efficiently.
This made it clear how power electronics enables sustainable energy technology: Energy flows from the propeller through the generator and a custom-designed semiconductor circuit into the battery. In terms of content, the demonstration ties in with the MA23 project 39-05 NEtte Elektronik – City of Vienna Competence Team for Sustainable Energy Technology Using Power Electronics and Mechatronics, which strengthens the connection between research, teaching, and practice at the UAS Technikum Wien
Drones, Embedded Systems, and Current Research
Ana Kokic and Ilva Heindl, from the Embedded Systems competence area, presented three drones in a gimbal setup as a second highlight. Visitors gained insights into microelectronics, PCB design, FPGA and system-on-chip design, and were able to experience firsthand how embedded systems come to life in real-world applications.
The presentation was embedded within ongoing research activities, including the MA23 project DrohnFH and the FFG project SAMURAI, in which UAS Technikum Wien is developing future-oriented technologies in collaboration with partners.
People Who Make Technology Accessible
The presenting colleagues exemplify the practice-oriented approach of UAS Technikum Wien. As a graduate of the Master’s program in Power Electronics and Sustainable Energy Technology, Julia Bauer combines research with practical application and aims to show how accessible and adaptable technical careers can be.
Ana Kokic is a research assistant at UAS Technikum Wien; she teaches microelectronics, PCB design, and SoC design and is actively involved in the City of Vienna Competence Team for Drone Technology in University of Applied Sciences Education.
Ilva Heindl is currently completing the Master’s program in Embedded Systems and conducts research as a junior researcher in the FFG SAMURAI project. Her goal is to show that there is a place for everyone in technology.
Why Girls! TECH UP—and what the UAS Technikum Wien contributes
The goal of the trade show appearance was to provide girls with targeted insights into technical fields of study, spark interest in electronics, power electronics, embedded systems, and sustainable energy technology, and highlight concrete career prospects from college through to a professional career. UAS Technikum Wien positioned itself as a practice-oriented educational institution where technology is taught in a way that is understandable, tangible, and meaningful—from drone demonstrations to energy harvesting with power electronics.
Bringing Electrical Engineering and IT to Life with Hands-On Stations
Girls! TECH UP, organized by LET’S TECH / OVE, has been bringing electrical engineering and IT to life through numerous hands-on stations since 2016. In 2026, more than 500 female high school students took the opportunity to try out technology, talk to female engineers, and learn about training programs and careers in electrical and information technology.
Further Information:
Faculty of Electronic Engineering & Entrepreneurship
Research project at UAS Technikum Wien: DrohnFH (MA23 project)
Research project at UAS Technikum Wien: SAMURAI (MA23 project)
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