Work experience

Institute of Communications and Navigation, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR, German Aerospace Center), Germany —  September 2017 to date

Senior researcher and project leader, working on
– System architectures for next generation Global Navigation Satellite Systems
– High-precision, carrier-phase-based absolute and relative navigation
– Atomic clocks modeling and time/frequency transfer
– Relativistic aspects in GNSSs
– Visual navigation

External lecturer (Dozent) for the course Visual Navigation (Master of Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering) at the Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany

Institute for Communications and Navigation, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany — July 2011 to August 2017

Project leader, 2014 to August 2017:
– Space-based tests of general relativity by employing navigation satellites. Funding agencies: DLR (German Aerospace Center), ESA (European Space Agency)
– Visual navigation and multisensor fusion for swarm exploration of extraterrestrial planets. Funding agency: DLR (German Aerospace Center)
– High-precision, carrier phase-based absolute and relative navigation
– GNSS-based RTK and attitude determination, non-linearly constrained ambiguity resolution

Research:
– Visual navigation
– Ambiguity resolution
– High-integrity applications of GNSSs
– Multi sensor fusion (GNSS+INS+Cameras+Ranging)
– Swarm navigation

Lectures and mentoring:
– Lecturer for the course Visual Navigation (Master of Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering )
– Adviser for master theses and bachelor theses, internal (Electrical and Computer Engineering ) and external (Computer Science, German Aerospace Center, Airbus, Ascending Technologies)

Delft Institute of Earth Observation and Space Systems, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands — March 2007 to June 2011

Research:
– Carrier-phase-based satellite navigation
– Attitude determination
– RTK
– Nonlinear estimation

Lectures and supervision:
– Assistant lecturer for the course Probability and Observation Theory (Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering)
– Instructor for the mandatory group-based Integrated Case Study (Master of Science, Aerospace Engineering)
– Instructor for the mandatory Design Synthesis Exercises and Software Development Projects (Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering)

GNSS Research Centre, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Australia — March 2009 to December 2009

Associate researcher:
– Research on GNSS ambiguity resolution, attitude representation and estimation, RTK
– External collaborations with the Center for Marine Science and Technology (CMST) for GNSS maritime applications

 

Education

 

Ph.D., Earth Observation and Satellite Systems – Mathematical Geodesy and Positioning (Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands, December 2011)

– Dissertation: GNSS Carrier Phase-based Attitude Determination. Estimation and Applications.
– Advisers: Professor dr. ir. Peter J.G. Teunissen, Dr. ir. Sandra Verhagen
– Topics: Carrier-phase-based satellite navigation, Attitude determination, GNSS-RTK, Mathematical models, Nonlinear estimation

MSc in Space Engineering (University of Rome “Sapienza”, Rome, Italy, June 2006)

– MSc thesis: Spotlight SAR Data Processing Using the Chirp Scaling Algorithm with a Subaperture Approach
– Adviser: Professor Pierfrancesco Lombardo
– Graduation mark: 110/110 with honors

BSc in Aerospace Engineering (University of Rome “Sapienza”, Rome, Italy, October 2003)

-BSc thesis: Study of ceramic material ZrB2-SiC for applications in Reusable Launch Vehicles’ thermal protection
– Adviser: Professor Marco Valente

 

Expertise

 

Mathematical modeling and estimation theory

– Ambiguity resolution (LAMBDA and MC-LAMBDA methods for GNSS-based  PPP, RTK and attitude determination applications)
– Linear, nonlinear and probabilistic estimation theory
– Recursive estimation and Bayesian filters (e.g. Kalman filter, EKF, UKF)
– Integrity (e.g. DIA techniques)

Engineering

– Satellite-, inertial-, and visual-based navigation
– Multi-sensor fusion
– Rigid body kinematics and dynamics
– Orbital mechanics
– Aerospace propulsion
– Aeronautical and space structures
– Science of materials
– Computer vision (image processing, visual odometry, 3D reconstruction)
– Monocular and stereo Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) techniques

Programming

– Matlab
– C, C++, Fortran
– SQL, OpenCV

 

Professional courses

– Spacecraft Operations Course. Given at the German Space Operation Center (GSOC), Oberpfaffenhofen-Weßling, Germany. October 7-11, 2019
– Project Management Compact (PMI guidelines). Given by Dr. Ralf Braune. Oberpfaffenhofen-Weßling, Germany. January 8-12, 2018
– Fundamentals of Kalman Filtering for GPS/INS Integration I (GNSS Solutions Tutorial CN480). Given by Mohinder Grewal, PhD. Portland, OR, USA. September 20-21, 2010
– Fundamentals of Kalman Filtering for GPS/INS Integration II (GNSS Solutions Tutorial CN481). Given by Mohinder Grewal, PhD. Portland, OR, USA. September 20-21, 2010
– Workshop on Improving Briefing Techniques. Given by John Mignot (The Aerospace Corporation). IEEE Aerospace Conference, Big Sky, Montana, March 6-13, 2010
– GPS Modernization and Relation to Other GNSS (GNSS Solutions Tutorial CN420). Given by Tom Stansell. Savannah, GA, USA. September 21-22, 2009
– Scientific writing, Delft University of Technology, April 2007