Julio Cesar Rodriguez Cervantes
PhD Student in Electrical Engineering · CINVESTAV Guadalajara
Multi-UAV systems · Bearing-only formation control · State estimation on S²
My research focuses on cooperative control of multi-UAV systems using only bearing measurements — no GPS, no distance sensors. Using robust nonlinear control techniques, I design formation controllers and state estimators that operate directly on the unit sphere S², enabling scalable drone swarms for GPS-denied environments.
Education
Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering — Automatic Control
- Focus: Bearing-only formation control strategies for quad-rotor systems, contributing to advancements in multi-agent coordination.
- Designed and analyzed novel distributed control algorithms to enhance the autonomy and robustness of UAV swarms.
- Developed high-fidelity simulations in MATLAB and Python to validate theoretical control models and algorithm performance.
- Engineered a custom experimental platform with ROS 2, Gazebo Ionic, and an ESP32-Drone for hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) validation of control strategies.
- Funded by SECIHTI (Secretaría de Ciencia, Humanidades, Tecnología e Innovación).
M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering — Mechatronics and Automatic Control
- Thesis: Designed formation controllers for Quad-Rotor-type multi-agent systems, achieving precise control and coordination among multiple drones.
- Developed and tuned controllers for multiple aerial mobile nano-robots, optimizing performance and behavior across a range of operating scenarios.
- Built a ROS-based platform enabling coordination and communication among multiple vehicles for research and development.
- Set up Git repositories for version control, ensuring efficient collaboration and code management throughout the project.
B.Eng. in Mechatronics — Automation and Control
- Professional internship (dic. 2020 – jun. 2021): developed the control subsystem for a two-degree-of-freedom cooperating table for an arc welding robot, optimizing motion trajectories and coordination with the robot.
- Designed, assembled, and integrated the control cabinet; programmed the cooperative table positioning control system and implemented communication protocols with a Fanuc ARC Mate 100iC welding robot.
Experience
Adjunct Professor — Academy of Health Sciences
- Design and teach four undergraduate courses: Analog, Digital, and Power Electronics; Analysis and Design of Electronic Circuits; Advanced Programming; and Kinetics and Dynamics.
Mechatronic Engineer
- Supported spare-parts warehouse operations (inbound and outbound), including material reception, storage, and preparation, using SAP for inventory management.
- Involved in the installation and configuration of LGV (Laser Guided Vehicle) robots and conveyor systems.
Project Control Assistant
- Collaborated with the CFE-Andritz-Hydroproject and CFE-Andritz-Seisa consortia on the repowering and modernization of the “Peñitas” and “Angostura” hydroelectric power plants.
- Oversaw contractual work schedules to ensure compliance with deadlines.
- Managed additional and extraordinary works, including reworks and incident handling.
- Oversaw inbound shipments at the warehouse and tracked material delivery at the construction site.
- Monitored personnel attendance records and man-hours worked per activity.
- Reconciled contractual schedules with stakeholders.
Adjunct Professor — Department of Basic Sciences
- Design and teach two undergraduate courses: Differential Equations and Integral Calculus.
Publications
- Bearing Estimation on S² via Tangent-Space Measurements for UAV Formation Control — IEEE CCE 2026 (accepted)
- Bearing-Only Super-Twisting Control for Multi-Quadrotor Formations — IEEE CCE 2025
- Formation Control Design for Multi-Quad-Rotors with Experimental Validation — CNCA 2023
- Diseño de Control de Formación basado en Modos Deslizantes para un Grupo de Quad-Rotors — COMRob 2023
- Optimal Motions of a Welding Robot for Cooperative Tasks with a 2 DOF Positioner — COMRob 2021
Stack
