Project Team
Chief Investigators
Dr. Jahan Hassan (Team Lead)
Dr. Nahina Islam (Team Lead)
Dr. Abdul Mazid
Dr. Jahan Hassan leads the EATP funded project “Artificial Intelligence driven Internet of Drones for targeted weed spraying” and is a senior lecturer at Central Queensland University, Australia. Her research focuses on civilian drone networks, optimising efficiency and communication with advanced machine learning algorithms. She also explores in-flight UAV recharging methods using air energy sources. With prestigious publications, guest editing roles, and an upcoming book on UAV networks, she serves as an area editor for Elsevier Ad Hoc Networks and is a Certified Professional and member of ACS, in addition to being a senior member in IEEE.
Dr. Nahina Islam is another lead chief investigator of this project, who works as a senior lecturer at CQUniversity. She has a demonstrated track record of research through research grants, and publications in the areas of image processing, green energy, artificial intelligence, Deep learning and machine learning-based applications, Internet of Things (IoT), smart farming, smart technologies, wireless communication, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) etc. In this project, she is leading the image processing and weed mapping team, where she is working with her colleagues to generate weed maps using drone images.
Dr Mazid is a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, his specialised areas are Machine Tools Design, Manufacturing, and Industrial Automation. He has more than 30 years of consistent teaching and research experience in wider areas of Mechanical, Manufacturing, Mechatronics, and Mining Engineering at tertiary levels at CQUniversity Australia, Monash University, Western Sydney University, and Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET). He is in charge of the project’s mechatronics research activities. As leader of the Mechtronics team, he is responsible for designing and developing the spraying drone system, which includes an autopilot flight controller and spraying mechanism for targeted weed control.
Dr Biplob Ray
Dr Nurun Nabi
Prof. Stephen Xu
Dr Biplob Ray is an outstanding researcher with an impressive background of research, academic, and industry experience. He is currently a senior lecturer at CQUniversity. He is highly interested in multidisciplinary research with core interests in smart farming and secure communication protocols of Cyber-Physical systems driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Drones (IoD), and the Internet of Things (IoT). Dr Ray has worked on several Australian federal governments and industry-funded research projects since 2016, and his peers have recognised and cited his 57 book chapters, journals, and conference publications extensively. He has received several awards, including the Dean’s Awards for Outstanding Researchers in 2023 (Mid-Career Research Category) and 2019 (Early-Career Research Category), as well as a commendation for outstanding research from CQU Vice-Chancellor’s Award in 2019. Dr Ray is a research group leader in the Centre for Machine Learning, Networking and Education Technology (CML-NET), CQU, and discipline lead in the College of ICT of Emerging Technologies. He has also served (or serving) as a guest editor, editorial board member, and reviewer in reputable journals and as a keynote speaker, organising chair, PC member, and reviewer for several conferences since 2012.
Dr Nurun Nabi is known as an internationally recognised researcher. His expertise is in exploring sustainable fuels for internal combustion engines, including aviation engines. His current research focus is decarbonisation with ultra-low exhaust emissions using hydrogen fuel. Nurun has been enlisted in the World’s Top 2% Researcher list consecutively in 2022, 2021, and 2020. In this project, Nurun is working with the Mechatronics Team. With the other team members, the selection of appropriate spraying drones and their effective use of herbicides for the weed is also included in his activities.
Professor Stephen Xu, Xu from Charles Darwin University has extensive experience in plant ecophysiology, spanning over 15 years. His research primarily focuses on enhancing crop production by examining the physiological responses of crops to climate and resource availability, and by employing carbon farming and precision agriculture technologies. He has worked with a diverse range of crops, such as peanuts, sugarcane, macadamias, blueberries, dragon fruit, exotic mushrooms, and sweet potato. He has established extensive cross-disciplinary networks in computer science, engineering, economics, rural supply chain, and policy, which enables him to engage in broad multidisciplinary collaborations. Additionally, Professor Xu is a licensed drone pilot with significant experience in drone operations for agricultural applications. In this project, he will provide expert consultation to the engineering team from an application perspective. His expertise in crop production research and cross-disciplinary networks will be invaluable in developing and implementing this project.
Prof, Steven Moore
Prof. Nanjappa Ashwath
Prof. Zagulul Shahadat
Bio
Bio
Bio
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Dr. Armin Ehrampoosh
Dr. Erhampoosh holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Monash University with a specialisation in Robotics and Mechatronics. He is responsible for managing the research project and liaising with international and national stakeholders. His role involves overseeing and participating in the fabrication of prototypes for the IoT-based intelligent drone system for weed detection and precision herbicide spraying.
“Mohamed Tolba” received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical and aerospace engineering from Cairo University, Giza, Egypt. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Robotics and Mechatronics Research Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. His current research interests include sensing and control of multi-rotor autonomous aerial vehicles, cooperative flight, and aerial load transportation.
DR Zaglul (External Collaborator)
Industry Partners
