My research focuses on nonlinear control and estimation, with particular emphasis on geometric and symmetry-based methods for autonomous robotic systems. My current research interests include:

1. Geometric and nonlinear control of autonomous systems: Development of unified control methodologies for aerial, ground, and marine robotic systems, including VTOL and convertible aircraft, fixed-wing vehicles, and autonomous marine systems. Particular attention is devoted to guidance, path following, sensor-based control, and control over large flight and operating envelopes.

2. Geometric and equivariant state estimation: Development of nonlinear observers exploiting symmetry, invariance, and equivariance, including complementary filters on Lie groups, Riccati observers, Equivariant Filters (EqF), visual-inertial estimation, inertial navigation, and attitude estimation under reduced or heterogeneous sensing.

3. Cooperative control and multi-agent systems: Formation control, bearing-based localization and coordination, distributed control of multi-vehicle systems, and connected and autonomous vehicles.

4. Safety-critical control and autonomous navigation:  Collision avoidance, constructive barrier feedback, safe navigation in cluttered environments, and integration of safety constraints with nominal control objectives.

A common objective underlying these activities is to develop theoretically sound control and estimation methods that retain a clear geometric structure while remaining suitable for implementation on real robotic platforms.

My research is supported by long-standing international collaborations and by joint academic–industrial projects, leading to both fundamental contributions and experimental validation on aerial, ground, and marine robotic systems.

I have supervised or co-supervised numerous PhD students in nonlinear control, estimation, robotics, and autonomous systems

Completed PhDs

1. Dr Tomas Lopes de Oliveira (2021–2024, I3S-UCA) — MENRT Scholarship; unified sensor-based control of convertible unmanned aerial systems.
2. Dr Tarek Bouazza (2021–2024, I3S-UCA) — UCA Scholarship; visual-inertial estimation and observer design.
3. Dr Pierre Gintrand (2020–2024, I3S-UCA) — CIFRE Airbus Helicopters.
4. Dr Pieter van Goor (2018–2021, Australian National University) — ANU Scholarship.
5. Dr Ninad Manerikar (2018–2022, I3S-UCA) — FUI Project.
6. Dr Zhiqi Tang (2017–2021, IST Lisbon & I3S) — IST Scholarship.
7. Dr Lam Hung Nguyen (2015–2019, I3S) — Vietnamese Government Scholarship.
8. Dr Jean-Marie Kai (2015–2018, I3S) — MENRT Scholarship.
9. Dr Szymon Krupinski (2011–2014, I3S) — CIFRE Cybernetics.
10. Dr Pedro Serra (2011–2015, IST Lisbon & I3S) — IST/MENRT Scholarship.
11. Dr Daniele Pucci (2010–2013, INRIA & I3S) — MENRT Scholarship.
12. Dr Bruno Hérissé (2007–2010, CEA & I3S-UCA) — CEA Scholarship.
13. Dr Florent Le Bras (2007–2010, I3S-UCA) — DGA Scholarship.
14. Dr Minh-Duc Hua (2006–2009, INRIA & I3S-UCA) — MENRT Scholarship.
15. Dr Sylvain Bertrand (2005–2008, ONERA & I3S-UCA) — ONERA Scholarship.
16. Dr Nicolas Guénard (2004–2008, CEA & I3S-UCA) — CEA Scholarship.
17. Dr Jean-Michel Pflimlin (2004–2007, LAAS & I3S-UCA) — DGA Scholarship.
18. Dr Nagib Metni (2003–2006, LCPC & I3S-UCA) — LCPC Scholarship.
19. Dr Alejandro Dzul-Lopez (1999–2002, UTC) — Mexican Scholarship.
20. Dr Abdelhamid Chriette (1999–2002, Université d’Évry) — MENRT Scholarship.

Current PhD Supervision

- Aghiles Benchikh (since November 2025) — unified geometric control of unmanned aerial systems.
- Melone Nyoba Tchonkeu (co-supervision, Université du Québec en Outaouais, since April 2025) — observer design and navigation systems.