Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are now essential tools for security and defense. Applications to science and commerce are also beginning to emerge, including high-volume atmospheric sampling for agricultural research.
Like UAVs, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) are expected to play an essential role in defense and security as well as science and commerce. Current interests include motion planning and control for AUVs, particularly underwater gliders, and system identification techniques to improve model-based control system performance.
Unmanned vehicles are promoted for tasks that are too "dirty, dull, or dangerous" for human-occupied vehicles. While unmanned vehicles are intrinsically connected with the needs of human supervisors, there is a need for reduced dependency on human operators, that is, for increased autonomy. I have interests in algorithms that enhance autonomy and in the applications that drive algorithm development.