Ph.D. Candidate · Mechanical Engineering · Texas A&M University
Engineering safe navigation for autonomous systems - at sea, on the ground, and in the air.
I’m a Ph.D. candidate at Texas A&M University. I build high-fidelity digital twins to verify and validate autonomous marine navigation, and design curvature-constrained motion planning for marine and aerial vehicles.
I study how autonomous systems perceive, plan, and decide - and how to verify that they do it safely.
At Texas A&M’s Autonomous Systems Laboratory, I research autonomous marine, aerial, and ground systems, with a focus on perception, planning, and decision-making.
Much of my work focuses on maritime autonomy. I build large-scale, high-fidelity digital twins to verify and validate autonomous navigation, apply System-Theoretic Process Analysis to transitions between manual and autonomous operation, and design curvature-constrained planners for marine and aerial vehicles.
Before my doctorate, I spent 2020–2023 as a Controls Engineer on life-safety system automation for Intel semiconductor fabrication facilities in New Mexico and Arizona. Earlier, at Iowa State University, I combined machine learning with model predictive control for nano-precision motion.
Research and industry roles spanning nano-precision control, semiconductor fab automation, and autonomous marine systems.
Research in autonomous marine, aerial, and ground systems, with a focus on perception, sensor fusion, localization, planning, and decision-making.
>95%
Detection accuracy across standard, flashing, and directional traffic signals
Lead Controls Engineer for life-safety system (LSS) automation projects supporting Intel semiconductor fabrication facilities in New Mexico and Arizona.
>90%
Less control-logic development and code-generation effort
4
Engineers mentored and trained
Research in robust and optimal control, system identification, and machine learning for nano-precision motion control systems, under the supervision of Dr. Juan Ren.
Laboratory instruction and mentoring in dynamics, controls, and heat transfer.
Aug 2023 – Dec 2023
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University
Aug 2018 – May 2020
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University
Work from my doctoral and master’s research, with the papers and talks behind each one.
Verification & validationPh.D. research · Texas A&M
Large-scale, high-fidelity digital twin and simulation frameworks for the verification, validation, and performance assessment of autonomous marine navigation.
Decision-makingPh.D. research · Texas A&M
A dynamic risk-aware framework for autonomous marine navigation that balances safety with COLREGs compliance, alongside collision avoidance and grounding prevention.
Safety analysisPh.D. research · Texas A&M
An STPA-based framework that identifies, quantifies, and prioritizes the safety-critical factors in transitions between manual and autonomous vessel operation.
PlanningPh.D. research · Texas A&M
Path planning, routing, and moving-target tracking algorithms for autonomous marine and aerial vehicles.
PerceptionResearch · Texas A&M
Extended the YOLO object detection framework to recognize traffic-signal states for autonomous ground vehicles.
>95%Detection accuracy
ControlM.S. research · Iowa State
LSTM neural network-based system identification and augmented model predictive control of piezoelectric actuators for precise trajectory tracking.
Methods, languages, and software behind the work.
Getting from here to there, within real turning limits.
Testing autonomy before it meets the real world.
The mathematics underneath.
Learning models from data.
Where the work gets built.
From a diploma in Kolhapur to a Ph.D. at Texas A&M — every degree in the same discipline.
Expected May 2027
Mechanical Engineering
4.00
GPA
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX
Thesis
Simulation-based verification, validation, and curvature-constrained motion planning for safe navigation of autonomous marine and aerial systems using high-fidelity digital twin frameworks.
May 2020
Mechanical Engineering
3.86
GPA
Iowa State University
Ames, IA
Thesis
Machine learning-based system identification and augmented predictive controls of nanopositioners.
Jun 2017
Mechanical Engineering
3.96
GPA
Rajarambapu Institute of Technology
Sangli, India
Jun 2014
Mechanical Engineering
87.19%
Aggregate
Government Polytechnic Kolhapur
Kolhapur, India
Jun 2025
2nd Place, SAE AutoDrive Challenge II
Representing Texas A&M University
May 2025
Invited Technical Reviewer
IFAC World Congress 2025 and MECC 2021
Apr 2019
Best Project Award
For developing a computer vision-based measurement system
Oct 2016
Silver Medal, Autonomous Robot Racing
State-level competition
First-authored journal, conference, and magazine work.
A Framework for Identification and Prioritization of Critical Factors in Transition Between Manual and Autonomous Navigation Functions in Marine Vessels
Mayur S. Patil et al. · Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
Dynamic Risk-Aware Framework for Autonomous Marine Navigation: Balancing Safety and COLREGs Compliance
Mayur S. Patil et al. · IFAC World Congress
A Robust Simulation Framework for Verification and Validation of Autonomous Maritime Navigation in Adverse Weather and Constrained Environments
Mayur S. Patil et al. · SMRC-MTEC-ICMASS Conference, Singapore
COLREGs Compliant Collision Avoidance and Grounding Prevention for Autonomous Marine Navigation
Mayur S. Patil et al. · GNAOE
Validating Autonomy at Sea: Why Virtual Testing Will Define the Next Era of Maritime Safety
Mayur S. Patil et al. · SNAME Maritime Technology Magazine
Virtual Framework for Verification and Validation of Marine Autonomous Navigation
Mayur S. Patil et al. · SNAME Maritime Convention
LSTM neural network-based system identification and augmented predictive control of piezoelectric actuators for precise trajectory tracking
Mayur S. Patil and J. Ren · Modeling, Estimation and Control Conference (MECC)
Conference presentations and invited talks.
A Robust Simulation Framework for Verification and Validation of Autonomous Maritime Navigation
SMRC-MTEC-ICMASS Conference · Singapore
High-Fidelity Simulation Framework for Evaluating Autonomous Navigation in Confined Waters and Multi-Vessel Interactions
SNAME Offshore Symposium · Houston, TX
Virtual Framework for Verification and Validation of Marine Autonomous Navigation
SNAME Maritime Convention · Norfolk, VA
Safety in Maritime Autonomous Navigation
XPONENTIAL Conference · Houston, TX
COLREGs Compliant Collision Avoidance and Grounding Prevention for MASS
IEEE Intelligent Transportation Systems Conference · Gold Coast, Australia
For research collaborations or opportunities in autonomous systems, email is the best way to reach me.
Texas A&M University · College Station, Texas