Uddhav Bhattarai

1344 Bainer Hall,

One Shields Ave

Davis, CA 95616-5270

I am a researcher specializing in computer vision, artificial intelligence, and robotics, with experience developing intelligent systems for automation, perception, and data-driven decision-making. My work spans the development and implementation of fully, weakly, and semi supervised deep learning algorithms for object detection, segmentation, localization, human activity recognition, and sensor fusion, as well as development and testing of integrated robotic systems in real-world environment in agriculture.

Currently, I am working as a Postdoctoral Scholar with Prof. Stavros G. Vougioukas at Bio-Automation Lab, University of California, Davis. My current research focuses on the development of low cost, scalable, and practicle AI-based solutions for human activity recognition, efficiency evaluation, and precision monitoring in complex environments.

I completed my Ph.D. at Washington State University (WSU) under Prof. Manoj Karkee (now at Cornell University). During my Ph.D., I worked in the intersection of computer vision, artificial intelligence, and ground/aerial robotics for automation and enhanced decision-making in dynamic, unstructured environment. My doctoral research focused on the design, development, and deployment of intelligent robotic systems, including algorithms for scene understanding (object detection, segmentation, localization, density estimation, counting) and advanced control systems.

news

Mar 13, 2025	Served as Associate Editor for 2025 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2025), Hangzhou China
Jul 01, 2023	Joined Bio-Automation Lab University of California Davis as Postdoctoral Scholar.
May 15, 2023	Completed internship at FFRobotics as Technical Consultant.
Apr 13, 2023	Successfully completed Ph.D. dissertation defense.
Apr 06, 2023	Our research on Robotic Blossom Thinning was featured by Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB).

selected publications

COMPAG

A vision-based robotic system for precision pollination of apples

Uddhav Bhattarai , Ranjan Sapkota , Safal Kshetri , and 4 more authors

Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2025

Bib

@article{bhattarai2025vision,
  title = {A vision-based robotic system for precision pollination of apples},
  author = {Bhattarai, Uddhav and Sapkota, Ranjan and Kshetri, Safal and Mo, Changki and Whiting, Matthew D and Zhang, Qin and Karkee, Manoj},
  journal = {Computers and Electronics in Agriculture},
  volume = {234},
  pages = {110158},
  year = {2025},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  category = {journal},
  google_scholar_id = {IWHjjKOFINEC},
  doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2025.110158}
}

COMPAG

AgRegNet: A deep regression network for flower and fruit density estimation, localization, and counting in orchards

Uddhav Bhattarai , Santosh Bhusal , Qin Zhang , and 1 more author

Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2024

Bib

@article{bhattarai2024agregnet,
  title = {AgRegNet: A deep regression network for flower and fruit density estimation, localization, and counting in orchards},
  author = {Bhattarai, Uddhav and Bhusal, Santosh and Zhang, Qin and Karkee, Manoj},
  journal = {Computers and Electronics in Agriculture},
  volume = {227},
  pages = {109534},
  year = {2024},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  category = {journal},
  google_scholar_id = {Zph67rFs4hoC},
  doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2024.109534}
}

JFR

Design, integration, and field evaluation of a robotic blossom thinning system for tree fruit crops

Uddhav Bhattarai , Qin Zhang , and Manoj Karkee

Journal of Field Robotics, 2024

Bib

@article{bhattarai2024design,
  title = {Design, integration, and field evaluation of a robotic blossom thinning system for tree fruit crops},
  author = {Bhattarai, Uddhav and Zhang, Qin and Karkee, Manoj},
  journal = {Journal of Field Robotics},
  volume = {41},
  number = {5},
  pages = {1366--1385},
  year = {2024},
  publisher = {Wiley Online Library},
  category = {journal},
  google_scholar_id = {kNdYIx-mwKoC},
  doi = {https://doi.org/10.1002/rob.22330}
}

IEEE-RAM

Semiautonomous Precision Pruning of Upright Fruiting Offshoot Orchard Systems: An Integrated Approach

Alexander You , Nidhi Parayil , Josyula Gopala Krishna , and 7 more authors

IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine, 2023

Bib

@article{you2023semiautonomous,
  category = {journal},
  title = {Semiautonomous Precision Pruning of Upright Fruiting Offshoot Orchard Systems: An Integrated Approach},
  author = {You, Alexander and Parayil, Nidhi and Krishna, Josyula Gopala and Bhattarai, Uddhav and Sapkota, Ranjan and Ahmed, Dawood and Whiting, Matthew and Karkee, Manoj and Grimm, Cindy M and Davidson, Joseph R},
  journal = {IEEE Robotics \& Automation Magazine},
  year = {2023},
  publisher = {IEEE},
  dimensions = {true},
  google_scholar_id = {hFOr9nPyWt4C},
  doi = {https://doi.org/10.1109/MRA.2023.3309098}
}

COMPAG

Automated execution of a pest bird deterrence system using a programmable unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)

Santosh Bhusal , Manoj Karkee , Uddhav Bhattarai , and 2 more authors

Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 2022

Bib

@article{bhusal2022automated,
  category = {journal},
  title = {Automated execution of a pest bird deterrence system using a programmable unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)},
  author = {Bhusal, Santosh and Karkee, Manoj and Bhattarai, Uddhav and Majeed, Yaqoob and Zhang, Qin},
  journal = {Computers and Electronics in Agriculture},
  volume = {198},
  pages = {106972},
  year = {2022},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  google_scholar_id = {W7OEmFMy1HYC},
  doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2022.106972}
}

COMPIND

A weakly-supervised approach for flower/fruit counting in apple orchards

Uddhav Bhattarai , and Manoj Karkee

Computers in Industry, 2022

Bib

@article{bhattarai2022weakly,
  category = {journal},
  title = {A weakly-supervised approach for flower/fruit counting in apple orchards},
  author = {Bhattarai, Uddhav and Karkee, Manoj},
  journal = {Computers in Industry},
  volume = {138},
  pages = {103635},
  year = {2022},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  google_scholar_id = {Tyk-4Ss8FVUC},
  doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compind.2022.103635}
}