Ivan Petrunin

Fully funded PhD opportunity at Cranfield University in Ubiquitous Cognitive Navigation with AI-Based Systems . This studentship sits at the intersection of aerospace engineering , robotics , computer science , electrical engineering , sensor fusion , navigation , artificial intelligence , and resilient Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) systems. The project aims to develop AI-driven cognitive navigation methods for autonomous transport, especially in environments where GNSS signals are denied or degraded. The research is jointly supervised by Professor Ivan Petrunin and Dr Mengwei Sun . It focuses on multi-sensor fusion, adaptive decision-making, and robust navigation architectures for future autonomous systems. Students will work with advanced simulation tools, software-defined radio, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and embedded platforms, and will also complete two industry placements at Spirent Communications . Funding is provided by EPSRC Doctoral Landscape Awards , Spirent Communications PLC , and Cranfield University. The award offers a tax-free bursary of up to £24,000 per year plus full tuition fees for 3.5 years . This opportunity is for Home fee status applicants only. Eligibility highlights include a first or second class UK honours degree (or equivalent) in a related discipline, programming experience in Python and MATLAB , and interest or experience in autonomous systems, signal processing, robotics, or learning-based fusion methods. Deadline: 30 September 2026. Start date: 25 January 2027. To apply, complete the online application form. For informal enquiries, contact Dr Mengwei Sun at mengwei.sun@cranfield.ac.uk or Professor Ivan Petrunin at i.petrunin@cranfield.ac.uk .