Master’s in UAV/UGV/USV/UUV Unmanned Systems
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in UAV/UGV/USV/UUV unmanned systems. 12 modules covering platform classification, aerial, ground, surface and underwater platforms, guidance, navigation and control, perception and autonomy, data links, payloads, certification and operations, with an assigned technical tutor.
Master’s in UAV/UGV/USV/UUV Unmanned Systems — 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$11,000 (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
Differentiate the architectures of aerial, ground, surface and underwater unmanned vehicles.
Size unmanned platforms according to mission requirements.
Design robust guidance, navigation and control systems.
Implement perception and autonomy functions with ROS 2.
Specify data links and payloads suited to each domain.
Apply the regulatory and certification framework for unmanned systems.
Develop a complete unmanned system in the Master's Thesis.
Who it's for
- Unmanned systems engineers.
- Guidance, navigation and control engineers.
- Marine robotics engineers.
- UAS certification specialists.
- Payload integrators.
- Autonomous systems programme managers.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the defence sector.
What you'll work with
- STANAG 4671 (airworthiness requirements for fixed-wing UAV systems)
- STANAG 4586 (standard interfaces for UAV control systems)
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 (rules for operating unmanned aircraft)
- Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 (unmanned aircraft systems and third-country operators)
- RTCA DO-178C (software considerations in airborne systems)
- MIL-STD-810H (environmental engineering and testing)
- MIL-STD-461G (electromagnetic interference control)
- COLREG 1972 (international regulations for preventing collisions at sea)
- ROS 2
- PX4 Autopilot
- ArduPilot
- Gazebo
- MATLAB/Simulink
12 modules
1.1Taxonomy of UAV, UGV, USV and UUV1.2NATO UAS classes by weight1.3Components of an unmanned system1.4Control station and data link1.5Levels of autonomy according to ALFUS1.6Civil and defence missions1.7Operational requirements by domain1.8Life cycle of a programme1.9The European industrial ecosystem1.10Case study: comparison of platforms by domain
2.1Fixed-wing, multirotor and VTOL configurations2.2Performance and flight envelope2.3Stability and control2.4Mass and power sizing2.5Electric, thermal and hybrid propulsion2.6Composite structures2.7Airworthiness according to STANAG 46712.8Launch and recovery systems2.9Wind tunnel and flight testing2.10Workshop: preliminary sizing of a UAV
3.1Wheeled and tracked mobility3.2Terramechanics and soil interaction3.3Electric traction and energy management3.4Suspension on rough terrain3.5Teleoperation with link delay3.6Obstacle perception in open terrain3.7Robots for humanitarian demining3.8Autonomous logistics and convoys3.9Mobility testing3.10Practical exercise: mobility modelling on soft ground
4.1Hydrodynamics of planing and multihull hulls4.2Stability and seakeeping4.3Propulsion and manoeuvrability4.4COLREG regulations and autonomous navigation4.5Maritime sensors: radar, AIS and cameras4.6Energy autonomy and range4.7Hydrographic and surveillance missions4.8Launch and recovery from a ship4.9IMO work on MASS vessels4.10Case study: hydrographic mission with a USV
5.1AUV, ROV and glider architectures5.2Buoyancy, trim and watertightness5.3DVL-aided inertial navigation5.4USBL and LBL acoustic positioning5.5Underwater acoustic communications5.6Side-scan and multibeam sonar5.7Batteries and pressure-compensated systems5.8Inspection of subsea infrastructure5.9Surface recovery operations5.10Lab: mission planning for an AUV
6.1Dynamic modelling of vehicles6.2PID and LQR controllers6.3Model predictive control6.4Sensor fusion with the Kalman filter6.5Integrated GNSS/INS navigation6.6Path planning with A* and RRT6.7Trajectory tracking6.8Fault-tolerant control6.9PX4 and ArduPilot autopilots6.10Lab: tuning an autopilot in SITL
7.1Computer vision and object detection7.2LiDAR and point clouds7.3Visual and LiDAR SLAM7.4Classification with deep learning7.5Behaviour trees for decision-making7.6Software architectures with ROS 27.7Navigation without GNSS coverage7.8Multi-vehicle cooperation7.9Verification of autonomous functions7.10Practical exercise: perception pipeline in ROS 2
8.1Command and control links8.2Frequency bands and spectrum regulation8.3Satellite links8.4Interoperability according to STANAG 45868.5The MAVLink protocol8.6Latency, bandwidth and range8.7Link encryption and authentication8.8Mesh networks between vehicles8.9Lost-link procedures8.10Workshop: radio link budget
9.1Electro-optical and infrared cameras9.2Synthetic aperture radar9.3Hyperspectral sensors9.4Environmental and CBRN detection sensors9.5Stabilisation with gyro-stabilised gimbals9.6Onboard processing and compression9.7Mechanical and electrical integration9.8Power and mass budgets9.9Sensor calibration9.10Case study: payload selection for surveillance
10.1Regulations (EU) 2019/945 and 2019/94710.2The SORA methodology10.3Military airworthiness with EMAR10.4STANAG 4671, 4702 and 470310.5Onboard software according to DO-178C10.6Environmental testing to MIL-STD-810H10.7Electromagnetic compatibility to MIL-STD-461G10.8Regulatory framework for autonomous ships10.9Functional safety according to IEC 6150810.10Practical exercise: simplified certification file
11.1Concept of operations (CONOPS)11.2Maintenance and logistics support11.3Training and qualification of operators11.4Operational risk management11.5Human factors in remote operation11.6Meaningful human control11.7Applicable international law11.8Data protection in civil missions11.9Life-cycle cost11.10Case study: CONOPS for a multi-domain fleet
12.1Definition of the mission and requirements12.2Selection of the domain and platform12.3Architecture of the proposed system12.4Guidance and autonomy design12.5Payload and data link integration12.6Test and certification plan12.7Cost and risk analysis12.8Conclusions and future work12.9Master's Thesis report12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so the programme can be combined with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is ROS 2, PX4 Autopilot, ArduPilot, Gazebo and MATLAB/Simulink, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: software-in-the-loop autopilot simulations, mission planning for underwater vehicles and mobility testing of ground platforms. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: STANAG 4671, STANAG 4586, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947, Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945, RTCA DO-178C, MIL-STD-810H, MIL-STD-461G and COLREG 1972.
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
- A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme 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 1,900 hours over 12–14 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, PX4 Autopilot, ArduPilot, Gazebo and MATLAB/Simulink, 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 Master's Thesis. 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 in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A university degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent demonstrable professional experience), a suitable computer 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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