The Bristol Flight Lab has access to a wide range of world-class facilities including its own lab and field-test centre, and in its wider context as part of the University of Bristol and University of the West of England.

Fabrication

Located within the University of Bristol’s Clifton Campus, the Flight Laboratory and associated offices are our main location, where we design, build, and bench test a variety of flying vehicles. The lab is fully equipped for drone development and assembly, including electronics development and integration, and is complemented by the extensive workshop facilities hosted by the Faculty of Engineering in the same building.

Field Robotics

The University of Bristol owns and operates Fenswood Farm, a 62-hectare research facility located fifteen minutes drive from the main campus. The farm has a large airspace for field-testing drones, and a dedicated field-robotics lab shared with the School of Physics.

Bristol Robotics Lab

The Bristol Robotics Laboratory is the most comprehensive academic centre for multi-disciplinary robotics research in the UK. It has one of the largest flight arenas, fully equipped with Vicon cameras to support the development and flight testing of control systems for agile vehicles and precision aerial manipulation.

Aerodynamics and Aeroacoustics

The University of Bristol hosts a number of advanced Aerodynamic and Aeroacoustic facilities, including a wide range of wind tunnels suitable for fundamental and applied research.

High-Performance Computing

A range of high-performance computers are available through the University of Bristol’s Advanced Computing Research Centre including the Isambard supercomputers for simulation-based and machine learning projects.

Dynamics and Vibrations

The Dynamics and Vibration Laboratory is part of the faculty’s advanced dynamic engineering facilities. It is equipped with leading cutting-edge measurement and testing technologies to serve a large group of researchers with a focus on many aspects of dynamics, such as composites and nonlinear vibrations of mechanical structures.

Composite Materials

The Bristol Composites Institute explores the manufacture, structural design and material properties of composites to address the overarching grand challenges of sustainability and Net-Zero. The National Composites Centre helps businesses of all sizes bridge the gap between cutting-edge innovation and industrial application.