RESEARCH INTERESTS

1 Airborne Data Acquisition Airborne data acquisition activity provides data for a larger area than terrestrial methods. However, it poses challenges due to many reasons. The first major reason is the limitations of sensors, terrain, and aerial vehicle. Secondly, user requirements, and mapping requirements also vary. Thirdly, along with former reasons, user preferences limit the flexibility of airborne operations. Under these conditions, mission planning and flight planning provide a feasible and optimal solution with minimum cost of data acquisition. I have developed a generic approach to integrate all major factors dictating the airborne data acquisition. The approach also works with any aerial vehicle (aircraft/UAV/helicopter) mounted with any sensor.
2 Precision Remote Sensing Technologies Precision technologies, namely, GPS, photogrammetry, LiDAR etc acquire the geospatial data with high accuracy in minimum time and minimum human intervention. Hence, these are not only accurate and less time consuming but also these are reliable. On the other hand, these too have limitations and at times they present a trade off in their accuracy, duration, and use.
3 Geodesy and Geoid Development Gravity potential on a point on Earth is caused by subsurface material. Geoid is an equipotential surface that shows the gravity potential of an area and so it is an expression of underlying material. Any anamoly in the geoid surface indicates the change in the material. Also, in addition, geoid conveys the orthometric height. I am developing some methods of deriving the geoid for small and local areas.
4 Low Cost Sensor Development With the available low cost sensors, it is possible to measure various physical phenomena. For example, the atmospheric pressure, which varies with height, can be measured by a simple mathematical formula of physics. Small sensors made on this principle are excellent examples of low cost ideas. For a new theory or invention, such sensors are used to establish the first proof of concept of the new idea with reasonable resources, efforts, and time.
5 Land Partitioning and Land Consolidation: Agricultural land is divided over generations among all stakeholders in a family, each having equal value. Thus, fragmented pieces of lands increases overall cost of crop production by reducing the yield. Land consolidation in an effective tool for solving this problem. Land consolidation relocates the fragmented land partitions of an owner at one place. Further, irregularly shaped and fragmented parcels are partitioned by land partitioning process. This the acceptance and success of the consolidation also depend upon land partitioning. My group does research on both land consolidation and land partitioning.
6 Physical Modelling for Data Acquisition by Airborne and Terrestrial Remote Sensing Techniques: Data acquisition by remote sensing methods with airborne and terrestrial platforms provide accurate 3D topographic data and other data. However, the practice of data acquisition by sensors mounted on either terrestrial or aerial platforms require some extensive studies for cost savings. My research work attempt to understand all involved issues and develops physical models of data acquisition.
MY LATEST RESEARCH • Drone (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle): I am developing the flight planning concepts for small, low weight, and low cost drones mounted with any sensor. These drones can be used to acquire data for near ground objects for variety of applications.

• My other research is in the field of Geodesy. I am developing methods for preparing a local geoid of an area. The local geoid helps in understanding the gravity potential of a place and anomalies, which are necessary to understand the subsurface material.