// robotics · control · embedded systems

Luca Obwegs

Control Engineer at Hilti · M.Sc. Mechatronics & Robotics (TUM)

P-08 · 2026Smallest Variometer

P-07 · 20243D Printed Drone

P-06 · 2023Balancing Robot

P-05 · 2023Via Eureka

P-04 · 2023Torque-Sensing Actuator

P-03 · 2023Bilateral Teleoperation

P-02 · 20226 DOF Robotic Arm

P-01 · 2020Variometer

Select a hexagon to open a project

about.md

Hey! I'm Luca Obwegs from Italy. I love robots, climbing and learning new things.

I work as a control engineer in the Mechatronics and Robotics Systems Laboratory at Hilti in Liechtenstein, where I develop control software for robotic and mechatronic prototypes – from modelling and simulation to the implementation on the target hardware and testing on the real system.

In my spare time I build robots, drones and flight instruments from scratch – from the CAD model and the PCB to the embedded software and the control algorithms. What I enjoy most is the step from a controller that works in simulation to one that runs reliably on real, resource-constrained hardware.

Feel free to get in touch or take a look at my work below.

Control theory
Embedded systems
Robotics
State estimation
3D printing & CAD
Climbing

languages

9Projects
10Career & education milestones
38Countries visited

01 // skills

What I work with

Control

Model-based controller design, from the linearised model to the tuned controller on the robot.

PID / cascaded control
LQR / LQI
MPC & NMPC
Adaptive & sliding-mode control
Impedance / force control
Passivity-based teleoperation

State estimation

Fusing noisy sensors into states a controller can rely on.

Kalman filter / EKF
Multiplicative EKF (attitude)
IMU, barometer & GNSS fusion
Complementary filters
Parameter identification

Software

Control code that is readable, tested and runs on the real system.

C / C++
Python
MATLAB / Simulink
ROS 2 & micro-ROS
Linux
Git

Embedded systems

Real-time control loops on microcontrollers, close to the sensors and actuators.

STM32 (HAL, timers, DMA)
ESP32 / Arduino
Raspberry Pi
UART, SPI, I²C, CAN
Motor drivers & encoders

Robotics & simulation

Modelling mechanisms and testing controllers before they touch the hardware.

Kinematics & dynamics
Simscape Multibody
Inverted-pendulum & multirotor models
Hardware testing & tuning

Hardware

Building the prototypes myself, so the software has something to run on.

PCB design
CAD
3D printing
Sensors & actuators
Soldering & prototyping

02 // projects

Projects

This portfolio includes personal work and selected professional projects described at a high level where confidentiality applies.

Professional projects are presented without confidential product names or implementation details.

P-08 // 2026Prototype

The Smallest Variometer In the World

The successor of my first variometer: a complete flight instrument on a custom STM32 PCB that weighs about 5.5 g including battery and case.

PCB design
STM32
Miniaturisation
3D printing

View project

P-07 // 2024Flying

3D Printed Drone

A 3D-printed quadrotor built from scratch: Simulink simulation, custom STM32 flight software with MEKF state estimation, and PID / LQR / MPC control.

STM32
MEKF
LQR
MPC

View project

P-06 // 2023Ongoing

Balancing Robot

A two-wheeled self-balancing robot for comparing PID and LQR control on an STM32 – from the pendulum model to the tuned controller on the robot. MPC is next.

LQR
PID
STM32
Control

View project

P-05 // 2023Completed

Via Eureka

A new 8-pitch, 230 m multi-pitch climbing route on the Lagazuoi above Passo Falzarego (Dolomites), opened together with Lucas in autumn 2023.

Climbing
Route setting
Dolomites

View project

P-04 // 2023In development

Actuator for Torque and Position Control

A custom robot actuator that measures torque as well as position and velocity – the building block for a force-controlled 3-DOF robot.

Actuator design
Torque sensing
Force control
CAD

View project

P-03 // 2023Completed

Phantom robot - Bilateral Teleoperation Control

Stable bilateral teleoperation of Phantom robots under time delay using passivity-based force and position control – developed at KAIST, South Korea.

Teleoperation
Passivity
Adaptive control
Force control

View project

P-02 // 2022Ongoing

6 DOF Robotic Arm

A fully 3D-printed six-axis robot arm inspired by the ABB IRB 1100 – stepper drives, numerical inverse kinematics, a teach-in GUI and ROS 2.

Kinematics
Arduino
Raspberry Pi
ROS 2

View project

P-01 // 2020Prototype

Variometer

A paragliding variometer built from scratch around an ESP8266, with GPS, barometer, accelerometer and Kalman-filter sensor fusion.

ESP8266
Sensor fusion
Kalman filter
GPS

View project

Prototype + simulationPrototype + simulation

Two-Axis Robotic Platform

A two-axis tracking prototype and simulation with detailed stepper-servo modelling, sensor fusion and delayed-measurement compensation.

Robotics
Stepper motors
Kalman filter
EKF

View project

03 // career & education

Career & Education

Control Engineer at Hilti

October 2, 2023

In January 2024 I started my career as a Control Engineer in the Mechatronics and Robotics Systems Laboratory at the Hilti headquarters in Liechtenstein. I…

Skills developed

MATLAB / Simulink modelling
Controller design
State estimation
Embedded C / C++
Hardware testing and debugging

KAIST: Exchange stay in South Korea

February 1, 2023

안녕하세요! During the final semester of my master's degree, I had the unique opportunity to undertake a semester-long academic exchange program at the Korean Advanced…

Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence: Research Internship

May 1, 2022

In my third master's semester I completed a 9 month long research internship at the Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence (MIRMI). During this…

Skills developed

Tactile sensor development
Tri-axis force sensing
Sensor signal processing
Experimental research

Technical University of Munich: Student Assistant

January 9, 2022

During my second semester of my master studies in Mechatronics and Robotics, I worked as a student assistant at the chair of Microtechnology and Medical…

Skills developed

System development
Student-card integration
Requirements analysis
Solution implementation

Technical University of Munich: Masters Degree in Mechatronics and Robotics

September 1, 2021

In 2021, I embarked on my master's journey at the Technical University of Munich, specializing in Mechatronics and Robotics. Throughout this comprehensive program, my primary…

Aerospace Team Graz: Mechanical Engineer

September 1, 2019

Throughout my Bachelor's program in Mechanical Engineering, I played an important role in co-founding the Aerospace Team Graz (ASTG), an interdisciplinary student organization comprised of…

Skills developed

Rocket systems engineering
Propulsion testing and fabrication
Cross-disciplinary teamwork
Team leadership

TU Graz: Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering

September 1, 2018

In 2018, I embarked on my academic journey by enrolling in the Bachelor's program for Mechanical Engineering at the Technical University of Graz. This endeavor…

M2 Railtech: Yearly summer internship

June 1, 2016

From 2016 to 2021, I dedicated my summers to gaining valuable hands-on experience as an intern at M2 Railtech, where I held the role of…

Skills developed

Mechatronic system design
Microcontroller programming
PCB design
Prototyping and laboratory testing

Elektro Verginer M.: Electrician Internship

May 1, 2015

First work experience as an electrician internship. During this 3 months long internship I learned basic work on electronic circuits, including soldering and reading electronic…

Skills developed

Soldering
Reading electronic schematics
Electronic circuit assembly

Technical High School Diploma: Mechanical Engineering

September 13, 2013

In 2013 I started at the Technical High School in Bruneck, where I specialised in mechanical engineering. After five years I received my diploma, which…

04 // publications & IP

Publications & Intellectual Property

Publications

S. Groß, L. Obwegs, J. Li, T. Spiegeler Casta ̃neda, A. Ganguly, C. Piazza, and S. Haddadin, Transforming Tactile Interfaces: Tri-Axis Force Sensor for SensorySignal Processing, accepted at IEEE World Haptics 2023, Delft.

Intellectual Property

Stop Assist for SID – data-driven automated stopping controller for assisting operators in driving screws. Patent filed; 50% contribution.