Aerospace research at Glasgow

The University of Glasgow has been a home to aerospace research for over 70 years, and today our researchers are tackling the multidisciplinary challenges faced by the aerospace industry in the 21st century.

We nurture a strong, diverse research portfolio and have established major initiatives to deliver capability and technologies that contribute to the global aims of greener, faster and safer travel. The University offers world-class research expertise and has established diverse and successful links with the aerospace industry.

Our interdisciplinary approach enables the provision of innovative, integrated solutions. The University’s drive to maintain existing, and develop new, world leading activities is demonstrated by its ongoing commitment to people, facilities and infrastructure.

Wind tunnel

The University of Glasgow is a hub in the UK’s National Wind Tunnel Facility and we are part of the Vertical-Lift Network Consortium to develop a new helicopter / tilt-rotor blade experimental test rig, which would be able to test and demonstrate new technologies to help drive rotorcraft performance improvements.

The University addresses the wider needs of the aerospace sector through the James Watt Nanofabrication Centre, which delivers integrated processes for the production of components, from devices up to total solutions.

Our Sensors and Imaging initiatives bring to bear broad expertise from sensor element design, through the flow of data storage, analysis and processing to the provision of tailored information, allowing the end user to make informed decisions.

Our expansive capabilities in modelling and simulation can be brought to bear on many aerospace challenges.

Building on extensive expertise in big data, we are at the forefront of the emergent field of Smart Cities research.