Hugo Ferreira

About

Hugo Ferreira is a pioneering researcher in marine robotics, autonomous systems, and search and rescue technology, whose work has fundamentally advanced the capabilities of unmanned vehicles operating in challenging aquatic environments. Best known for developing the ROAZ autonomous surface vehicle series at ISEP/IPP's Autonomous Systems Lab, Ferreira has demonstrated how robotic platforms can revolutionize bathymetric surveying, coastal risk assessment, and maritime safety operations — work that has earned over 105 citations for his seminal 2009 ROAZ bathymetry paper alone. His contributions span the full spectrum of marine autonomy: from innovative ASV-AUV docking maneuvers using visual feedback, to low-cost RTK-GPS localization systems, to heterogeneous multi-robot coordination for deep seafloor mapping. His involvement in the prestigious euRathlon 2015 competition, through the ICARUS team, showcased real-world deployment of cooperative surface and underwater robots for maritime search and rescue — work cited over 60 times. Ferreira has also co-authored the widely referenced book *Search and Rescue Robotics: From Theory to Practice* (2017), cementing his role as both an innovator and educator in this critical field. His research continues to bridge laboratory development with life-saving real-world application.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Autonomous bathymetry for risk assessment with ROAZ robotic surface vehicle

   105 citations · 2009
2. 2
   Multiple robot operations for maritime search and rescue in euRathlon 2015 competition

   63 citations · 2016
3. 3
   Autonomous Surface Vehicle Docking Manoeuvre with Visual Information

   52 citations · 2007
4. 4
   ROAZ and ROAZ II Autonomous Surface Vehicle Design and Implementation

   34 citations · 2007
5. 5
   Search and Rescue Robotics - From Theory to Practice

   34 citations · 2017
6. 6
   High-accuracy low-cost RTK-GPS for an unmannned surface vehicle

   22 citations · 2015
7. 7
   Use of multi-domain robots in search and rescue operations — Contributions of the ICARUS team to the euRathlon 2015 challenge

   16 citations · 2016
8. 8
   Water jet based autonomous surface vehicle for coastal waters operations

   12 citations · 2014
9. 9
   Field experiments for marine casualty detection with autonomous surface vehicles

   12 citations · 2013
10. 10
    Cooperative deep water seafloor mapping with heterogeneous robotic platforms

    10 citations · 2017

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links