Dr Daniele Zagaglia
BSc, MSc, PhD
Expertise
Experimental fluid-dynamicist, specialised in rotary and fixed wing aerodynamics. Wind tunnel testing, design of state-of-the-art test rigs, development of instrumentation and experimental techniques.
Current positions
Lecturer in Aeroacoustics
School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering
Contact
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Biography
I joined the University of Bristol in 2025 as a Lecturer in Aeroacoustics. I am part of the Fluids and Aerodynamics group, within the School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering.
I graduated cum laude in 2013 with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, Italy. In 2017 I was awarded a PhD in Aerospace Engineering by Politecnico di Milano with a thesis entitled “Investigation on the helicopter/obstacle aerodynamic interaction”. From 2017 to 2025 I worked as a postdoctoral research fellow first at Politecnico di Milano, Department of Aerospace Science and Technology, and then at the James Watt School of Engineering of the University of Glasgow (2019-2025).
I graduated cum laude in 2013 with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, Italy. In 2017 I was awarded a PhD in Aerospace Engineering by Politecnico di Milano with a thesis entitled “Investigation on the helicopter/obstacle aerodynamic interaction”. From 2017 to 2025 I worked as a postdoctoral research fellow first at Politecnico di Milano, Department of Aerospace Science and Technology, and then at the James Watt School of Engineering of the University of Glasgow (2019-2025).
Research interests
My main research interest is the experimental and theoretical investigation of fluid flow phenomena, especially in the field of rotorcraft aerodynamics. My research areas and expertise comprise:
- Rotor and propeller aerodynamics.
- Helicopter interactional aerodynamics in confined spaces.
- Aerodynamics and aeroacostics of complex rotorcraft/eVTOL configurations.
- Fixed-wing aerodynamics, including passive and active devices to improve performance and delay stall.
- Low-speed wind tunnel testing.
- Wind tunnel model design.
- State of the art flow measurement techniques (Particle Image Velocimetry, Laser Doppler Anemometry, unsteady pressure measurements) and development of novel data-processing algorithms.
Publications
Recent publications
12/03/2025Experimental investigation into the onset of stall on tiltrotor blades in propeller mode
CEAS Aeronautical Journal
Aerodynamic Evaluation
Notes on Numerical Fluid Mechanics and Multidisciplinary Design
Vortex ring state of a shrouded rotor
Experiments in Fluids
Experimental evaluation of the aerodynamic performance of a large-scale high-lift morphing wing
Aerospace Science and Technology
Experimental study of a helicopter model in shipboard operations
Aerospace Science and Technology