Research
AI, control theory and hydrodynamics, applied to marine autonomy
Our work runs from the numerical hydrodynamics underneath a vessel to the autonomy stack that decides where it goes.
Marine Autonomous Vehicles
Guidance, navigation and control for autonomous surface and underwater vehicles, taken from simulation through to field trials.
AI and Hydrodynamics
Machine learning applied to maritime systems, where data-driven models are combined with the physics of ship and platform motion.
System Identification
Extracting hydrodynamic coefficients and manoeuvring models from model tests and full-scale field data.
Hydrodynamics and Floating Systems
Nonlinear time-domain simulation of ships and offshore structures, including the panel-method solvers behind HydRA.
Nonlinear and Stochastic Dynamics
Rare and extreme responses of marine systems — parametric roll, capsize, and dynamic stability in a random seaway.
Funding
Funded projects
Sponsored research supported by national agencies and the institute.
| Project | Agency | Role | Years | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data-driven hydrodynamic modeling of AUVs through exploration-aware reinforcement learning | Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) | PI | 2026–2029 | Ongoing |
| Cooperative pursuit and adaptive escape strategies for autonomous surface vehicles | Naval Research Board (NRB) | PI | 2026–2029 | Commencing |
| Indigenous framework for sonar-based SLAM for bathymetry applications | IIT Madras | PI | 2025–2026 | Ongoing |
| Rendezvous of autonomous surface vehicles amidst obstacles | Naval Research Board (NRB) | Co-PI | 2024–2027 | Ongoing |
| AUV development with a homing and docking station | Ministry of Earth Sciences | Co-PI | 2024–2026 | Ongoing |
| Forces and responses of a body with forward speed — 3D basin vs 2D flume | Naval Research Board (NRB) | Co-PI | 2024–2027 | Ongoing |
| Centre for Maritime Experiments to Maritime Experience (ME2ME) | Ministry of Education | Co-PI | 2023–2026 | Ongoing |
| Centre of Excellence for Marine Autonomous Systems (CMAS) | Ministry of Education | PI | 2021–2023 | Completed |
| Data Driven Control for Marine Vehicle Maneuvering | Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) | PI | 2021–2024 | Completed |
| New Faculty Seed Grant (NFSG) | IIT Madras | PI | 2021–2024 | Completed |
| New Faculty Initiation Grant (NFIG) | IIT Madras | PI | 2019–2022 | Completed |
Consultancy
Industry and defence consultancy
All consultancy is undertaken through Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research (IC&SR) at IIT Madras.
We consult on:
- Design of autonomous marine vehicles
- Design of guidance, navigation and control systems for marine robots
- Design and analysis of floating systems
- Mooring analysis
- System identification of hydrodynamic coefficients from experiments
- Application of AI and ML techniques to ocean engineering problems
| Project | Agency | Years | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prediction of quiescent period from ship response and water surface data | Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala | 2025–2026 | Ongoing |
| Review of design aspects of an Autonomous Surface Vehicle | Cochin Shipyard Limited | 2024–2026 | Ongoing |
| Third-party proof check for floating solar blocks | Adtech Systems Limited | 2020–2021 | Completed |