Marine Robotics Laboratory is a research and development laboratory operating within the Faculty of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering at Istanbul Technical University. Through its work at the intersection of maritime engineering, robotics, and autonomous systems, it contributes both to academic knowledge and the development of application-oriented technologies.
Research Areas
Three main pillars define the laboratory's research agenda:
Dynamic Positioning Systems (DPS): Indigenous development of DP technology used on drilling, support, and research vessels. Conducted in collaboration with the Turkish Petroleum Offshore Technology Center (TP-OTC), this work has been successfully validated on a scale model of the PSV Sancar platform supply vessel.
Autonomous Marine Vehicles: Development of sensing, navigation control, collision avoidance, and mission planning algorithms for surface (USV) and underwater (AUV) vehicles.
Ship Hydrodynamics and Model Testing: Resistance tests, CFD validation studies, and research into efficient hull forms, conducted using the infrastructure of the Ata Nutku Ship Model Test Laboratory at ITU.
Collaborations and Partners
The laboratory conducts joint research projects with national and international partners. Key collaborating institutions include the Turkish Petroleum Offshore Technology Center (TP-OTC), TÜBİTAK, and İŞKUR-supported training programmes.
Education and Student Involvement
Active involvement of undergraduate and graduate students in research processes is a founding principle of the laboratory. Students gain the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to real engineering problems and experience the practical demands of the maritime industry first-hand.
Location
Marine Robotics Laboratory is located within the Faculty of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering at Istanbul Technical University. Further information about the faculty is available at gidb.itu.edu.tr.