Facilities
BAC's specialist facilities support research across aerodynamics, aeroacoustics, robotics, high-performance computing, dynamics and vibration, and space systems. Together, they provide the infrastructure needed to tackle complex aerospace challenges through research, testing and innovation.
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.
The wind tunnels include:
- four National Wind Tunnel Facilities (NWTFs)
- the National Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel
- the Pressure-Neutral Acoustic Wind Tunnel
- the Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel
- the National Propeller Test Bed (currently in development).
Bristol Robotics Laboratory
The University of Bristol has extensive facilities for multidisciplinary robotics and aerial vehicle research, including:
- Bristol Robotics Laboratory – a large Vicon camera-equipped flight arena for developing and testing agile aerial vehicles and precision aerial manipulation systems, with dedicated facilities for vehicle design, assembly, electronics integration and bench testing.
- Fenswood Farm research facility – extensive airspace for outdoor drone testing across the University's 62-hectare research site.
High-performance computing
A range of high-performance computing resources are available for simulation-based and machine learning projects, including:
- Bristol Centre for Supercomputing (BriCS) – high-performance computing resources supporting computational modelling, simulation and data-intensive research.
- Advanced Computing Research Centre – home to advanced supercomputing infrastructure, including Isambard-AI, the UK's fastest and most powerful supercomputer, purpose-built for AI research.
Dynamics and vibrations
The dynamics and vibration theme is equipped with leading cutting-edge measurement and testing technologies supporting research across many aspects of dynamics, including composites and nonlinear vibrations of mechanical structures.
Experimental equipment includes:
- scanning and fixed-point laser-Doppler vibrometer (LDV) systems
- electromagnetic shakers
- piezoelectrics
- heavy-duty cranes.
Space
Space systems has a wide selection of experimental and manufacturing facilities to help drive development of space systems that operate in complex environments.
These include:
- dedicated radiation and electrostatics testing facilities
- attitude control experimental test rigs for autonomous flight systems and hovering rocket technologies
- a ground station for satellite data collection
- clean-room facilities for satellite assembly.