Vassilis Kostopoulos

By Vaios Lappas and Vassilis Kostopoulos

Advances in microelectronics, materials, combined with affordable and frequent launch opportunities has led to a revolution which consists of small satellite missions used for technology validation, Earth observation, space exploration. Small satellites are now being developed in large volumes for mega-constellations for Earth observation, Internet of Things (IoT) and low latency communications (internet) thus democratizing space and making new space applications a reality. Advances in small satellite platforms, miniaturization of instruments and the availability of low-cost launches for small satellites, can enable new, geodetic missions which can benefit from the use of constellations of small satellites. An overview of some of the most important small satellite based geodetic missions is presented, along with a brief overview of new mission concepts which can significantly enhance our knowledge in the geodetic field.

Part of the book: Satellites Missions and Technologies for Geosciences

By Ioannis Daramouskas, Vaios Lappas, Niki Patrinopoulou, Dimitrios Meimetis and Vassilis Kostopoulos

The numerous advantages of using UAV platforms, alongside with recent scientific developments in the field of autonomous vehicles in general and the lower production costs for such platforms, have increased interest in their usage in a variety of defense applications. This work investigates swarming in defense applications and provides information about the crucial modules needed for a swarm to operate and the main missions in defense applications that the swarms can be used to enhance the situational awareness.

Part of the book: Autonomous Vehicles

By Niki Patrinopoulou, Vaios Lappas, Ioannis Daramouskas, Dimitrios Meimetis and Vassilis Kostopoulos

The multiple advantages of the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platforms in combination with the recent research advancements in the field and the reduction of production cost for such platforms have caused an increasing interest for their use in multiple civilian applications. As the number of UAV operations in a common airspace increases, Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) plays a crucial role in accommodating flights in a safe and systematic manner. This work looks into six categories of those applications and the relevant guidance and decision-making algorithms and methodologies to enable autonomy in their execution, as well as traffic management systems required to support them.

Part of the book: Autonomous Vehicles