Prof Anthony Finn
Professor
School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering
College of Engineering and Information Technology
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
I joined the University of South Australia in 2010 as a Research Professor of Autonomous Systems at the Defence And Systems Institute (DASI) and was appointed Director in 2012. I graduated from Cambridge University in 1989 with a PhD in Engineering. Before moving to South Australia to join the Defence Science and Technology Organisation in 1991, I worked as a research consultant for a number of commercial and government organisations in Europe.
I have published two books and authored around 300 peer-reviewed book chapters, journal articles, research reports, and conference papers. My research has also informed governmental and international bodies and been cited as evidence in a number of criminal trials. I am on the editorial board of three academic journals and have received a number of international awards for my research.
My current research interests are in the application and integration of Autonomous and Unmanned Systems, but I have a wide range of technical expertise in other fields including: remote sensing; radio wave and acoustic propagation; atmospheric modelling; tracking, target motion analysis and geolocation; geodetic surveying; satellite navigation; electronic warfare (EW); communications; spacecraft design and environmental test; hardware-in-the-loop (HITL) simulation; systems engineering; and, systems of systems integration.
Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Systems of Autonomous Systems
Unmanned Vehicle Systems
Intelligent Decision-Making Technology
Systems Engineering/Integration
Technology Transition
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 - 2020 | Director, Defence & Systems Institute | University of South Australia |
| 2010 - ongoing | Professor, Autonomous Systems | University of South Australia |
| 2002 - 2010 | Head, Automation of the Battlespace | Defence Science and Technology Group |
| 1999 - 2001 | Head, Strategic & Land Electronic Warfare | Defence Science and Technology Group |
| 1998 - 1999 | Head, Navigation Systems | Defence Science and Technology Group |
| 1991 - 1995 | Research Scientist | Defence Science and Technology Group |
| Language | Competency |
|---|---|
| English | Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 - 1989 | University of Cambridge | United Kingdom | PhD |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Brinkworth, R., Finn, A., Griffiths, D., & Skelton, P. S. M. (2020). 2020900764, A data processing method. |
-
Koala Detection using Biologically Inspired Vision, Forest and Wood Products Australia, 18/06/2024 - 31/05/2027
-
Remote Sensing-Derived Biodiversity Indicators for Scalable Forest Plantation Monitoring – Pilot Case Study, PF Olsen (Aus) Pty Ltd, 25/06/2025 - 31/12/2026
-
Operational Transition of PINT Software, Forest and Wood Products Australia, 01/01/2024 - 01/03/2026
-
Weed Identification Using Remote Sensing, Forest and Wood Products Australia, 05/06/2023 - 30/09/2025
-
Drone Observations of Alyxia Buxifolia for Green Adelaide, Green Adelaide Board, 18/02/2022 - 30/06/2022
-
Biologically Inspired Robust Target Isolation and Classification, Defence Science and Technology Group, 20/04/2020 - 30/05/2022
-
Bio-Acoustic Integrated Counter Remotely Piloted Aircraft Technology, Defence Science and Technology Group, 13/12/2017 - 30/06/2021
-
Neural Network based threat assessment and identification from Bio-inspired high dynamic range imagery, Exablaze Pty Ltd, 20/02/2019 - 31/12/2019
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Use of unmanned air vehicles for early, real time detection of extreme weather events in vineyards USA1601., Australian Grape and Wine Authority, 01/08/2016 - 30/06/2019
-
Wind Shear Detection (Phase 2) - Sir Ross & Sir Keith Smith Fund, Sir Ross & Sir Keith Smith Fund, 01/01/2017 - 30/09/2017
-
3D Constrained, Manoeuvring and Multi-target Tracking, Cwth Dept of Defence, 24/02/2016 - 31/08/2017
-
3D atmospheric acoustic tomography using unmanned aerial vehicles, ARC - Linkage Project, 28/05/2014 - 30/06/2017
Courses I teach
- ENGG 4009 Engineering Honours Project A (2025)
- ENGG 4010 Engineering Honours Project B (2025)
- ENGG 4010 Engineering Honours Project B (2024)
- ENGG 5032 System Engineering Project Extension (2024)
- ENGG 5033 System Engineering Project (2024)
| Date | Role | Research Topic | Program | Degree Type | Student Load | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Principal Supervisor | - | - | Master | Full Time | Mr Amirhossein Zargarian |
| 2017 | Co-Supervisor | - | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Daniel Rogers |
| 2013 | Principal Supervisor | Government policy and industry development in the national interest - the Australian aerospace industry as a case study | Doctor of Philosophy | Doctorate | Full Time | Mr Peter Alexander Smith |
| Date | Role | Committee | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 - 2024 | Board Member | Member of ARC College of Experts | University of South Australia | Australia |
| Date | Role | Membership | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 - ongoing | Member | Institute of Navigation | - |
| Date | Institution | Department | Organisation Type | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 - 2014 | Department of Defence | Defence Materiel Organisation | - | Australia |
| Date | Role | Editorial Board Name | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 - ongoing | Associate Editor | Journal of Intelligent & Robotic Systems | University of South Australia | Australia |
| Date | Engagement Type | Partner Name |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 - ongoing | Collaboration | evoSonic |
| 2018 - 2022 | Research Contract | US Army DEVCOM |
| 2017 - ongoing | Research Contract | OneFortyOne, FPC, FCNSW, TTPL, ForestrySA, Reliance forest Fibre, HQP, HVP |
| 2016 - 2023 | Collaboration | National Renewable Energy Laboratory |
| 2015 - 2020 | Research Contract | Pernod Ricard |
| 2015 - 2020 | Research Contract | Penfolds |
| 2013 - 2023 | Collaboration | National Center for Atmospheric Research |
| 2010 - ongoing | Research Contract | Defence Science & Technology Group |
| Date | Title | Type | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 - ongoing | Australian Research Council | Grant Assessment | University of South Australia | Australia |
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