Autonomous Vehicle Dynamics and Control

Starts: October

Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

Course overview:

The worldwide market for unmanned and autonomous vehicles is expanding rapidly. Autonomous airborne vehicles have numerous existing and potential applications including search and surveillance, mapping crop-spraying, environmental and weather monitoring. Autonomous ground vehicles have very diverse applications such as factory automation and mine clearance.

Cranfield University is the only UK university to offer a masters course in autonomous vehicle dynamics and control. Achieving this very focused qualification will enable you to differentiate yourself in today's competitive employment market.

This course covers the fundamentals of autonomous vehicle design and control, whilst enabling you to specialise in appropriate subject areas via optional modules and a research thesis. This flexibility means that you may tailor the course to your own particular interests and career aspirations.

Structure:

The course consists of two equally weighted components: the taught modules and a research thesis. The modules include:

• Introduction to Aerodynamics and Hydrodynamics
• Computational Engineering
• Modelling of Dynamic Systems
• Control Systems 
• Vehicle Modelling and Simulation
• Air Vehicle Dynamics
• Autonomous Systems and Operation
• Decision Making in Autonomous Systems
• Guidance and Navigation Systems
• Sensor Fusion.

Optional modules include:

• Fundamentals of Rotorcraft
• Aircraft Performance, Stability and Control
• Multivariable Control Systems
• CFD for Fixed Wing Vehicles and
• Data and Information Fusion
• Vehicle Power & Propulsion
• Ground Vehicles Dynamics.

Research Thesis:

Students decide on a research topic during the first teaching period and work towards an individual thesis during the second half of the MSc course. The research thesis allows students to develop their own particular area of interest, often providing an opportunity to collaborate with industry.

Research topics can be either selected from those put forward by the teaching team or chosen by students in agreement with the academic staff.

Assessment:

The taught components of the MSc are assessed by a mixture of examinations and assignments. The individual research thesis accounts for the remaining 50% of the programme.

Part-time Study:

This course is also available on a part-time basis for individuals who wish to study  whilst remaining in full-time employment. A three-stage programme from a Postgraduate Certificate to Postgraduate Diploma through to a Master of Science enables you to take a flexible approach to your study commitments.

Entry requirements:

A CEng accredited 1st or 2nd class UK honours degree in engineering, or an equivalent degree in engineering, engineering science, physics, applied mathematics or other appropriate applied science.

English Language Requirements - Our normal minimum requirement is a TOEFL score of 580 (paper test) or 237 (computer test), essay rating 4.5 or 92 (Internet test), all skills 19 or an IELTS 6.5 with 6.0 for writing, a TOEIC overall score of 830, or a Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English grade C or Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English grade C, although a number of our programmes require higher scores.

Funding:

For details of any bursaries that may be available please contact the Enquiries Office on the details shown below.

Want to know more?

Contact our Enquiries Office for further details, E: enquiries@cranfield.ac.uk, T: +44 (0)1234 758008

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