Dr James Pickering

Dr James E. Pickering is a Senior Lecturer in Mechatronics and Control Engineering at Harper Adams University, where he currently serves as Course Manager for the BEng Robotics, Automation and Mechatronics programme

He is strongly motivated by tackling real-world industrial engineering challenges and is a committed advocate for applied engineering education that bridges the gap between mathematical theory and practical control system implementation. His research and educational activities are centred on model-based design and model-based control methodologies, with a particular emphasis on embedded control systems, rapid prototyping, and real-time implementation.

His applied research focuses on autonomous and semi-autonomous air and land platforms, with particular interest in unmanned aerial systems (drones) and intelligent ground vehicles. This includes the development, modelling, and experimental validation of sensing, estimation, and control architectures for mobile robotic systems operating in real-world environments.

Professional Memberships

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
• Member of the Institute of Measurement and Control (InstMC)
• Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
• Member of IFAC Technical Committee 9.4 Control Education
• Industry Lead, ECR ACE-Network (Automatic Control Engineering)