Dr. Madhavan Shanmugavel is an accomplished academic and researcher currently serving as Associate Professor in the School of Engineering and Technology at Navrachana University, Vadodara, Gujarat. With over two decades of experience spanning academia, industry, and research, his expertise lies in mechatronics, unmanned autonomous vehicles (UAVs), dynamical systems design, modeling and control, path planning, trajectory generation, guidance, and mobile and industrial robotics. His interdisciplinary approach bridges theoretical foundations with practical applications, fostering innovation in intelligent systems and sustainable engineering. Dr. Shanmugavel’s scholarly impact is evident through over 1,600 citations on Google Scholar, co-authorship of the seminal book *Cooperative Path Planning of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles* (John Wiley & Sons, 2010), and numerous high-impact publications on topics such as Dubins paths, Pythagorean hodograph curves, collision avoidance, swarm coordination for multiple UAVs, and flight trajectory optimization using bank-turn mechanisms. He has supervised multiple PhD and postgraduate theses, examined doctoral works across institutions, and contributed to curriculum development, including minor degree programs in robotics. His outreach efforts extend to school students and community engagement, promoting control education and hands-on STEM activities and AI based learning. At Navrachana University, he continues to inspire through teaching, research, and leadership, emphasizing model-based and reinforcement-learning approaches in different realms of robotics and unmanned autonomous systems while addressing real-world challenges.
Dr. Shanmugavel brings a blend of academic and industrial expertise, with over 25 years in total experience. His career trajectory includes:
Dr. Madhavan Shanmugavel’s teaching philosophy emphasizes visualization of problems and solutions and relates the practice to theory. He practices studio pedagogy, outcome-based education (OBE), Bloom’s Taxonomy, and innovative assessments to foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and practical application. He promotes participative learning through group activities, learning by doing, design/robot competitions, and remote/virtual projects, ensuring students explore nuances such as ethical implications in AI-driven systems. He is also an active practitioner of STEM education and promotes this along with AI based education.
Courses Taught by the Faculty Member
Primary Area
Cooperative Planning & Guidance of UAVs, Cooperative manipulator and control, Design of Mechatronics systems, Uncertainty propagation in connected systems. Reinforcement Learning in path/trajectory planning, Model Based Systems Engineering, V-Model Design; Rehabilitation Robotics.
Secondary Area
Mechanical, Aerospace, Automotive Engineering; Ideation, Cyber Physical Systems (CPS), Digital Twin, STEM Education.
Dr. Shanmugavel’s work has implications for defense, healthcare, and environmental monitoring, with over 40 conference papers and journal articles substantiating politically sensitive claims like the need for robust autonomous systems in critical infrastructure.
§ Malla, O., & Shanmugavel, M. (2025). Optimizing the Feasible Object-Constrained Cooperative Task Space for Enhanced Dual-Arm Manipulation. *Robotic Intelligence and Automation* (accepted on 08 Sep 2025). Explores kinematics in manipulators with parallelogram linkages, addressing efficiency in industrial applications.
§ Malla, O., & Shanmugavel, M. (2024). Simplified model to study the kinematics of manipulators with parallelogram linkages. *Industrial Robot*. DOI: 10.1108/IR-01-2024-0046. Discusses reconfiguration using modular designs like Lego bricks.
§ Darmaraju, S., Kamal, M., Shanmugavel, M., & Tan, C. (2022). Coverage control of mobile agents using multi-step broadcast control. *Robotica*. DOI: 10.1017/S0263574722000194. Analyzes dynamic environments and agent coordination.
§ Machmudah, A., Shanmugavel, M., Parman, S., Manan, T. S. A., Dutykh, D., Beddu, S., & Rajabi, A. (2022). Flight Trajectories Optimization of Fixed-Wing UAV by Bank-Turn Mechanism. *Drones*, 6(3), 69. DOI: 10.3390/drones6030069. Considers fuel efficiency and agile maneuvers.
§ Ramalakshmi, S., Ramanan, R. N., Madhavan, S., Ooi, C. W., Chang, C. C. H., Harper, I. S., Lewis, D. M., Lee, A. K., He, L., & Seenichamy, A. (2021). Investigation of selective release of periplasmic proteins through pore size analysis and single-cell microscopy in Escherichia coli. *Biochemical Engineering Journal*, 171.
§ Veera Ragavan, S., Shanmugavel, M., Ganapathy, V., & Shirinzadeh, B. (2015). Unified Meta-modelling Framework using Bond Graph Grammars for Conceptual Modeling. *Robotics and Autonomous Systems*, 72, 114–130.
§ Kim, S., Silson, P., Tsourdos, A., Shanmugavel, M., & Zbikowski, R. (2010). Dubins path planning of multiple UAVs for communication delay. *Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering*.
§ Shanmugavel, M., Tsourdos, A., Żbikowski, R., & White, B. A. (2009). Co-operative path planning of multiple UAVs using Dubins paths with clothoid arcs. *Control Engineering Practice*.
§ Shanmugavel, M., Tsourdos, A., Żbikowski, R., & White, B. A. (2007). Differential Geometric Path Planning of Multiple UAVs. *ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control*, 129(5).
Ø Tsourdos, A., White, B., & Shanmugavel, M. (2010). *Cooperative Path Planning of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles*. ISBN: 978-0-470-74129-0. John Wiley & Sons. A comprehensive guide on UAV coordination, influencing fields like defense and surveillance.
Ø Karthikeyan, S., & Madhavan, S. (2020). *Physics Experiments*. ISBN: 978-93-5408-067-8.
Ø Vani, S., & Shanmugavel, M. (2024). *Microcontroller Lab Exercises Using 8051 and LPC2148 Processors*. ASIN: B0CSXDJK64.
§ Shanmugavel, M. (2010). Obstacle Avoidance. In R. Blockley & W. Shyy (Eds.), *Encyclopedia of Aerospace Engineering*. ISBN: 978-0-470-75440-5. John Wiley & Sons. Discusses strategies for UAVs, including implications for urban navigation.
§ Madhavan Shanmugavel, Vani Shanmugadass, Sudharsan S, (14 November 2025). Transforming Sustainability Through Blockchain – Reducing Food Waste and Improving Food Safety. Sustainable Supply Chains and Carbon Footprint Reduction: The Blockchain Advantage, Ed by Priya Batta, et al, Print ISBN:9781836690467 |Online ISBN:9781394423415 |DOI:10.1002/9781394423415
§ Sethi, P., Sharma, N., Shah, A., Shah, P., Shanmugavel, M., & Vani, S. (2024). Problem-based UAV design for port surveillance and monitoring and Machine Learning for detection and identification of vessels. *International Conference on Electronics, Communication and Aerospace Technology (ICECA 2024)*, Coimbatore, India.
§ Malla, O., & Shanmugavel, M. (2024). Task Allocation in a Multi-Robot System Using RRT* Algorithm. *International Conference on Recent Advances in Electrical, Electronics, Ubiquitous Communication, and Computational Intelligence (RAEEUCCI)*. DOI: 10.1109/RAEEUCCI61380.2024.10547978.
§ Shanmugavel, M., & Yik, A. C. (2023). Design of Modular Robots and Reconfiguration Exercises using Lego Bricks. *International Conference on Recent Advances in Electrical, Electronics, Ubiquitous Communication, and Computational Intelligence (RAEEUCCI)*.
§ Krishnan, S., Rajagopalan, G. A., Kandhasamy, S., & Shanmugavel, M. (2020). Continuous-Time Trajectory Optimization for Decentralized Multi-Robot Navigation. *Sixth International Conference on Advances in Control & Optimization of Dynamical Systems*, IIT Chennai.
§ And many more (over 40 total), covering topics from fault detection in rotational systems to path planning in restricted environments, presented at IEEE, IFAC, and ASME conferences.
Dr. Shanmugavel actively participates in and organizes events, exploring diverse perspectives such as AI ethics and global collaboration. Recent roles include:
Ø **Resource Person**: Gen AI Tools for Teaching, Learning and Research, Adhiparasakthi Engineering College, Tamil Nadu, India, 21 July 2025.
Ø **Keynote Speaker**: Two-day International Workshop on Role of AI in Education and Research, Adhiparasakthi Engineering College, 03-04 June 2025.
Ø **Jury**: Student Tech Fiesta 2025, Adhiparasakthi Engineering College, 22 Feb 2025.
Ø **Resource Person**: AICTE ATAL FDP on Advancing Healthcare with Robotics: Rehabilitation Therapy & Sports Medicine, Sona College of Technology, 09-14 Dec 2024.
Ø **Evaluator**: Research Presentations in DPRC-2024, SRM IST, 2024.
Ø **Plenary Talk**: Cooperative Mobile Robots, IEEE ROMA, India, 2018.
Ø **Special Session Organizer**: Modelling, Simulation, Experiments and Emerging Role of Data Analytics in Robotic and Engineering Applications, IEEE ICCIC, India, 2014.
Ø **Invited Talks**: Advances in Autonomous Transmission Line Monitoring (2013), Smart Grids Asia (2012).
He has attended professional development workshops, such as AICTE on Inculcating Human Values (Feb 2025), IIRS on Remote Sensing (2024), and SAE India on Object Detection (2024), ensuring his expertise remains current amid technological advancements.
Dr. Shanmugavel has secured funding for projects addressing societal needs, such as education outreach and autonomous systems:
Ø IFAC Activity Fund for Control Education to School Students, 2024-2025.
Ø Flight Trajectories Optimization of UAV Bank-Turn Mechanism for Agile Monitoring Path, SATU Joint Research Scheme, 2021-2022.
Ø Cooperative Vehicle and Traffic Control Systems for Autonomous Vehicles, AEP, Monash University, 2017-2019.
Ø Model Synthesis Framework for Cyber Physical Systems, FRGS, Malaysia, 2015-2018.
Ø Smooth Curve Generation Incorporating Uncertainties, FRGS, Malaysia, 2015-2016.
Ø Design & Development of Power-Line Inspection Robot, Monash University, 2015.
Ø Design and Development of Autonomous Airships (IMURA0370), Collaboration between Monash Clayton, Monash Malaysia, and IIT Bombay, 2013.
Ø Parallel Pneumatic Regenerative Braking/Launch Assist System, ERGS, Malaysia, 2012-2014.
Ø Development of Research Platform for Unmanned Autonomous Systems (EM-2-12), AEP, Monash University, 2012-2013.
– A Hand Rehabilitation Glove, Application Number: 20244101860, Publication Date: 29/03/2024. Addresses therapeutic needs with sensor integration.
– An Autonomous Mobile Robot and Method for Performing Multi-Functional Tasks Using the Autonomous Mobile Robot, Application Number: 202341074195, Publication Date: 15/12/2023. Focuses on versatility in tasks like monitoring and delivery.
– Design of Lower Limb Rehabilitation Device, Consultancy, 2025.
– Design of Semi-Autonomous Drilling Robot, Dileka Innovations, July 2024-June 2025.
– Real-Time Load Monitoring of Refuse Vehicle, APM Sdn Bhd, Malaysia, 2017-2018. Integrated IoT for efficiency.
– Faulty-Tyre Monitoring System for Monorail, Scomi Engineering Bhd, Malaysia, 2016-2017.
– Vehicle Detection and Classification, Recogine Technology Sdn Bhd, Malaysia, 2016-2017. Used AI for traffic management.
– Selective Sensor Perception and Decision Making in unmanned autonomous cars. (Pranesh Joe, in progress).
– Optimal Task Space Generation and Cooperative Path Planning of Manipulators (Omar Malla, synopsis completed in Oct 2025).
– Broadcast Control of Multi-Agent Systems for UAVs (Shalini Darmaraju, awarded 2022).
– UAV – a Cyber Physical System (Cham Da Ming, awarded 2021).
– EMG-based Musculoskeletal Model for Stroke Rehabilitation (Veronica Jauw, awarded 2016).
– Framework for Mechatronics and Cyber-Physical Systems (Veera Ragavan, awarded 2015).
Served as examiner for theses at prestigious institutions, providing critical feedback on diverse engineering challenges:
– FEM for Lumbar Spine Disc Degeneration (Kosalishkwaran, Monash University, 2018).
– Kinematic Gait Parameters Prediction (Saaveethya Sivakumar, Monash University, 2017).
– Hybridized Trajectory Generation and Many-Objectives Optimization for Multi-Agent Quadrotor UAVs (Premeela A/P Tharumanathan, University of Nottingham, 2016).
– Fault Reconstruction using Sliding Mode Observers (Jeremy Ooi, Monash University, 2015).
– Brain Computer Interface for Industrial Robotics (Kee Chea Yau, Monash University, 2012).
– Terrain Based Mobile Robot Navigation (Loh Jon Liang, Monash University, 2011).
– Development of Wall Climbing Robot (Koh Keng Huat, Monash University, 2011).
– Program Committee Member, ICINCO (International Conference on Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics), 2015–present.
– IEEE Ethics Champion, EAAC Ethics Champion, IEEE Region 10, 22 Sep 2023.
– Best Paper Award, IEEE-RAEEUCCI 2023 for “Design of Modular Robots and Reconfiguration Exercises using Lego Bricks”.
– Appreciation from University of Buffalo for Letters of Recommendation, 2021.
– Associate Editor, International Conference on Unmanned Autonomous Systems, 2016–2020.
– Scholarship, Anglo-Portuguese Students Programme at IST Portugal, 2007.
– PhD Studentship, Cranfield University, UK, 2004–2007.
– MS (Research) Studentship, IIT Madras, India, 1998–2000.
– Competitive Exam: Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineers (GATE), India, 1998.
– Awareness of Control Education to School Students, Loyola Academy CBSE School, Vadamelpakkam, 2024–2025. Physics related to modeling and control for school students.
– Fun with Vectors and Measurements, Arduino-based hands-on training, Mangalam School, Potheri, 2024. Explored real-time applications for school students.
– 3-Day Workshop on Mastering Microcontrollers, Advanced Robotics Lab, SRM IST, 2024. Covered Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and ESP32 for undergraduate engineers.
– Programming Advisor for LEGO SMK High School USJ 4, 2012.
– AICTE QIP: Robotics, Dec 2024 – Jun 2025,
– AICTE: Inculcating Human Values in Technical Education, 10–14 Feb 2025.
– IIRS Outreach: Overview of Global Navigation Satellite System, 23 Sep–04 Oct 2024.
– SAE India: Real-Time Object Detection and Tracking using Open CV & Deep Learning, 10 July 2024.
– GenAI for Academics and Research, SRM IST, 13–15 March 2024.
– e-Yantra: Introduction to Embedded Systems and Robotics, 22–23 Sep 2023.
– IIRS Outreach: Remote Sensing and Digital Image Analysis, 28 Aug–22 Sep 2023.
– Defence Hackathon, SRM IST, 15–16 Dec 2022.
– FDP on Artificial Intelligence, SRM IST, 28 Nov–03 Dec 2022.
– AICTE ATAL: Embedded Systems – An Application Driven Approach, 25–27 Aug 2021.
– AICTE ATAL: Virtual Labs – Effective Tool for Teaching and Learning, 10 July 2020.
– And earlier courses on OBE, research supervision, defense modeling, guided weapons, and computational methods (2007–2019).
– Ideation, Problem Formulation, Mechatronics Design.
– Problem-Formulation, Modelling and Simulation of Engineering Problems.
– Cooperative Path Planning and Decision Making for UAVs and Robots.
– Model-Based System Engineering of Physical and Mechatronics Systems.
– Testing and Validation of Automotive Systems.
– Automotive Testing, Design of Test Rigs, Data Acquisition, Homologation, Vehicle Testing.
– Computing: Python, MatLab, Mathematica, Maxima, C.
Markup Languages: LaTeX, BibTeX.
– Technical: Webots, Robot Operating System (ROS), FreeCAD, OpenModelica
– Microcontrollers: Arduino,, ESP32; 3D-Printing.
– Member, Aerospace Technical Committee, International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC).
– Member, IEEE Robotics and Automation.
– Member, Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).
– Member, Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM).
– *Mechatronics*, *Aerospace Science and Technology* (Elsevier).
– *IEEE-ASME Transactions on Mechatronics*.
– *International Journal of Systems Science*, *International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems*.
– *IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics*.
– *The Aeronautical Journal* (Royal Aeronautical Society).
– *International Journal of Aerospace Engineering*.
– National and International Conferences.
– Lab Head, Advanced Robotics Laboratory (SRM IST).
– NBA Coordinator (C4), Mechatronics (SRM IST).
– Internal Academic Audit Coordinator, Mechatronics (SRM IST).
– Undergraduate Year Coordinator, Mechatronics (SRM IST).
– IEEE Students Counsellor (Monash University).
– Industrial Training Coordinator, Mechatronics (Monash University).
– Member, Health & Safety, Alumni Committees (Monash University).
– Chair, Disability Committee (Monash University).
– Member, Education Committee – Engineering Accreditation, OBE (Monash University).
