Autonomous taxi drone course
Online course of 300 hours in autonomous drone taxis: 6 modules covering autonomous drone taxi architecture, navigation and perception, planning and control, simulation and development, and assurance and certification, with an assigned technical tutor.
Autonomous taxi drone course — studying from India
India's aerospace sector is growing steadily, anchored by Bengaluru, Hyderabad and the Kanpur-Lucknow belt. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Tata Advanced Systems and Bharat Electronics are major employers, alongside a fast-growing base of drone and space start-ups. The Indian Space Research Organisation and the Defence Research and Development Organisation drive research programmes, while civil aviation rules are set by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Engineers here work on aircraft systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, satellite subsystems and urban air mobility concepts, and the sector's push for indigenisation keeps demand for skilled talent strong.
Fees for India: ₹78,800 (Indian Rupee), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in India
Typical roles
Questions from India
Which professional bodies in India recognise aerospace engineering, and does a private online qualification help with recognition?
In India, aeronautical engineering is recognised mainly through the Institution of Engineers (India), the Aeronautical Society of India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for aircraft maintenance licences. SEIUM's qualifications are private, not state degrees, and are not accredited by any national body. Whether they count towards professional membership or roles is decided by the employer or the relevant body, so check their criteria before enrolling.
Which employers in India hire aerospace engineers, and how would this programme be used in that work?
Aerospace engineers in India work with organisations such as ISRO, HAL, DRDO laboratories, and private aerospace and drone firms, along with MRO and airline engineering teams. A private postgraduate qualification can support a career move or specialisation, but it is not a substitute for formal technical experience or statutory certifications. Employers usually weigh it alongside your work record and skills.
Can I manage this programme alongside a full-time job in India, given the time zone and language?
The programme is 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from home without a student visa. Classes and deadlines are set by the school, so check the schedule against India Standard Time (IST). Master's programmes are around 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas around 800 and specialist courses around 300, so plan your weekly hours realistically. You get an assigned technical tutor. Ask your employer about sponsorship, as instalment fees may make this easier.
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
Understand the architecture of an autonomous drone taxi.
Implement navigation and sensor fusion techniques.
Develop planning and control algorithms.
Simulate autonomous missions with open-source tools.
Apply assurance methods to autonomous functions.
Understand the certification framework for passenger-carrying UAS.
Design the concept of an autonomous drone taxi.
Who it's for
- Autonomous systems engineers.
- Aerial robotics engineers.
- Guidance, navigation and control engineers.
- Embedded software developers working on flight systems.
- Perception engineers.
- UAS certification engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter urban air mobility.
What you'll work with
- EASA SC-VTOL-01 (special condition for small-category VTOL aircraft)
- Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 (unmanned aircraft systems and third-country operators)
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 (operation of unmanned aircraft)
- RTCA DO-178C (airborne software assurance)
- ASTM F3269 (run-time assurance of complex functions)
- JARUS SORA 2.5 (specific operations risk assessment)
- EASA Concept Paper Guidance for Level 1&2 Machine Learning Applications (guidance on machine learning in aviation)
- PX4 Autopilot
- ROS 2
- Gazebo
- AirSim
- MATLAB UAV Toolbox
6 modules
1.1Levels of autonomy in aviation1.2Examples from EHang, Wisk and Volocopter1.3Functional architecture of the system1.4Navigation sensors1.5Flight computer1.6Remote supervision centre1.7Redundant C2 communications1.8System redundancy1.9On-board failure mode management1.10Practical exercise: functional diagram of a drone taxi
2.1Sensor fusion with the Kalman filter2.2GNSS and inertial navigation2.3Computer vision2.4LiDAR and radar2.5Localisation in urban environments2.6Obstacle detection2.7Detect and avoid2.8GNSS-denied navigation2.9Occupancy maps and SLAM2.10Lab: GNSS-IMU fusion in MATLAB
3.1Trajectory planning3.2A* and RRT algorithms3.3Attitude and position control3.4Model predictive control (MPC)3.5Precision landing3.6Contingency management3.7Selection of emergency landing sites3.8On-board decision-making3.9Machine learning for guidance3.10Workshop: urban route planning with RRT
4.1PX4 and ArduPilot4.2ROS 2 middleware for robotics4.3Gazebo and AirSim4.4Hardware-in-the-loop simulation of the autopilot4.5Digital twin of the vehicle4.6Flight testing4.7Software version management4.8Continuous integration and deployment4.9Automated software testing4.10Lab: autonomous mission in Gazebo with PX4
5.1Flight software under DO-178C5.2Run-time assurance5.3EASA guidance on machine learning5.4Certified category of UAS5.5SORA assessment of the operation5.6Cybersecurity of the autonomous system5.7Passenger acceptance5.8Remote human supervision5.9Requirements for secure C2 links5.10Case study: run-time assurance architecture
6.1Mission definition6.2System architecture6.3Navigation and perception6.4Planning and control6.5Mission simulation6.6Safety analysis6.7Certification strategy6.8Interface with the supervision centre6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Training is 100% online 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 you can combine the programme with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is PX4 Autopilot, ROS 2, Gazebo, AirSim and MATLAB UAV Toolbox, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Exercises are based on real procedures for simulating autonomous missions, developing navigation and planning algorithms and hardware-in-the-loop testing. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final project.
Standards covered: EASA SC-VTOL-01, Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947, RTCA DO-178C, ASTM F3269, JARUS SORA 2.5, EASA Concept Paper Guidance for Level 1&2 Machine Learning Applications.
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
- No prior qualification is required.
- 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 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with PX4 Autopilot, ROS 2, Gazebo, AirSim and MATLAB UAV Toolbox, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, 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.
No prior qualification is required; you need a computer able to run the programme's 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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