Diploma in UGV and Autonomous Land Platforms
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in UGV and autonomous land platforms. 8 modules covering unmanned ground platforms, perception sensors, localisation and mapping, motion planning and control, software architecture and communications, functional safety and testing, and employment, ethics and regulation, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in UGV and Autonomous Land Platforms — studying from Australia
Defence is one of Australia's largest engineering employers, with major programmes in land systems, naval platforms, aircraft and integrated systems managed through the Department of Defence. Land systems engineering supports armoured vehicles, weapons and logistics equipment, often through prime contractors and local industry partners. Industry involvement is strongly encouraged through the Defence industry policy framework. Engineers work on sustainment, capability development, systems integration and safety assurance, typically in Canberra, Adelaide, Melbourne and regional defence precincts.
Fees for Australia: A$2,850 (AUD), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Australia
Typical roles
Questions from Australia
How does defence engineering recognition work in Australia?
Defence engineering in Australia is largely run through the Department of Defence and its industry partners, which set their own security clearance and qualification requirements. Engineers Australia is the professional body for accreditation. SEIUM's private qualifications are not accredited by these bodies, so recognition is for employers or the relevant body to decide.
Which Australian employers hire in defence and land systems?
Australia has defence prime contractors, the Department of Defence, and specialist land systems firms. Many of these roles require Australian security clearances, which depend on citizenship and background checks rather than course completion. Ask employers how they weigh private qualifications against experience and clearance requirements.
Is the course manageable with a job, and does it need a visa?
The programmes are 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from Australia without a student visa. Specialist courses take 300 hours, diplomas 800 and master's 1,900. An assigned technical tutor supports you, fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Analyse the mobility of unmanned ground platforms.
Calibrate and integrate perception sensors.
Implement localisation and SLAM techniques.
Develop motion planners and controllers.
Design software architectures based on ROS 2.
Prepare functional safety cases for UGVs.
Assess the ethical and legal implications of autonomy.
Who it's for
- Mobile robotics engineers working on ground platforms.
- Autonomy software developers building navigation and decision-making stacks.
- Perception engineers working with LiDAR, cameras and radar.
- Functional safety engineers applying ISO 26262 or UL 4600 to autonomous vehicles.
- Unmanned systems integrators in defence or industry.
- Autonomous vehicle test technicians.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the defence sector.
What you'll work with
- ISO 26262 (functional safety of road vehicles)
- ISO 21448 (safety of the intended functionality, SOTIF)
- UL 4600 (safety evaluation of autonomous products)
- SAE AS5669A (JAUS/SDP transport specification)
- SAE AS6009 (JAUS mobility service set)
- IEC 61508 (functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable systems)
- MIL-STD-1472H (human engineering)
- ROS 2
- Gazebo
- Nav2
- MATLAB Navigation Toolbox
- NVIDIA Isaac Sim
8 modules
1.1Classification of UGVs by mass and mission1.2Wheeled and tracked configurations1.3Mobility on unstructured terrain1.4Vehicle-terrain interaction1.5Electric and hybrid powertrains1.6Batteries and energy management1.7Modular chassis and payloads1.8Bomb disposal and rescue robots1.9Civil applications in agriculture and mining1.10Practical exercise: mobility analysis of a UGV
2.1Mechanical and solid-state LiDAR2.2Stereo and depth cameras2.3Millimetre-wave radar2.4Thermal cameras for driving2.5Inertial units and odometry2.6GNSS with RTK correction2.7Extrinsic sensor calibration2.8Time synchronisation of data2.9Degradation due to dust, rain and smoke2.10Laboratory: LiDAR-camera calibration
3.1Extended and unscented Kalman filters3.2Particle filters3.3LiDAR SLAM3.4Visual-inertial SLAM3.5Occupancy and elevation maps3.6GNSS-denied navigation3.7Odometry fusion3.8Loop closure and graph optimisation3.9Traversable terrain mapping3.10Practical exercise: SLAM in a simulated environment
4.1A* and D* Lite planners4.2RRT and PRM sampling4.3Planning with terrain costs4.4Pure Pursuit tracking control4.5Model predictive control4.6Dynamic obstacle avoidance4.7Control of tracked vehicles4.8Convoys and leader-following4.9Formation navigation4.10Workshop: planner in Nav2
5.1ROS 2 and DDS middleware5.2JAUS architectures5.3Teleoperation and latency5.4Levels of autonomy5.5Tactical radio links5.6Mesh networks between robots5.7Operator human-machine interface5.8Fault management and degraded modes5.9Vehicle cybersecurity5.10Laboratory: ROS 2 teleoperation node
6.1Hazard analysis and risk assessment (HARA)6.2Software functional safety6.3Argued safety cases6.4Simulation and virtual testing6.5Testing on a controlled track6.6Environmental robustness testing6.7Autonomy performance metrics6.8Interoperability testing6.9Certification and acceptance6.10Case study: safety case for a logistics UGV
7.1Logistics support and last mile7.2Route reconnaissance and humanitarian demining7.3Meaningful human control7.4International debate on autonomy7.5Responsibility and accountability7.6Legal review requirements7.7Integration into mixed fleets7.8Maintenance and logistics support7.9Life-cycle cost7.10Case study: ethical assessment of a deployment
8.1Mission and concept of operations8.2Platform and sensor selection8.3Software architecture8.4Navigation strategy8.5Functional safety analysis8.6Test plan8.7Ethical and legal assessment8.8Simulation results8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with your tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is ROS 2, Gazebo, Nav2, MATLAB Navigation Toolbox and NVIDIA Isaac Sim, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures for autonomous navigation on a controlled track, simulation of degraded-perception scenarios and teleoperation testing with latency. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: ISO 26262, ISO 21448, UL 4600, SAE AS5669A, SAE AS6009, IEC 61508 and MIL-STD-1472H.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with ROS 2, Gazebo, Nav2, MATLAB Navigation Toolbox and NVIDIA Isaac Sim, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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