MSc Aerial Robotics
- MSc
Overview
The University of Bristol's MSc in Aerial Robotics will equip you with the knowledge required to become an innovator in aerial robotic systems and tackle the latest challenges for uncrewed air vehicles (UAVs) or drones, from urban utility operations through to remote scientific investigation. It combines foundational skills such as flight dynamics, control, and avionics with disruptive technologies such as autonomous navigation and bioinspiration.
You will explore a wide range of advanced engineering and computer science concepts, with the opportunity to apply these to an aerial robotics group project, focused on a research or industry problem. Previous projects have covered topics including volcanic sensing, wildlife census, and search and rescue scenarios.
You will develop concepts in high-specification, on-campus labs using research-grade hardware and conduct flight testing at one of our world-class facilities including our indoor flight arena at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory or our Field Robotics Centre just outside Bristol.
Bristol has a long history of aerospace excellence, providing a home to Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Vertical Aerospace, Leonardo Helicopters and a range of smaller SMEs. Our aerospace programmes stretch back almost 100 years. Drawing on this expertise, the Aerial Robotics programme covers not only conventional vehicle design and onboard systems, but wider supporting robotics technologies including AI, ethics and the legal framework in which they operate.
The MSc emphasises a systems approach, considering integration at technology, operational and environmental levels. Graduates will be able to deliver cutting-edge drone research and development in a variety of contexts.
Accreditation
The course has recently undergone its periodic re-accreditation process with the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS), received a positive report from the panel, and is awaiting formal re-certification.
The RAeS accredits against UK Engineering Council (EngC) AHEP criteria, which set out a framework across areas including technical knowledge, analytical skills, design and innovation, sustainability and ethics, and engineering practice. As a signatory to the Washington Accord, an EngC-certified degree offers international recognition and transferability. The programme's relationship with the RAeS and other Professional Engineering Institutions offers opportunities for networking, wider skills development, and employability.
Programme structure
You will study 120 credits of core and optional taught units spanning theory and practice, including a substantive group project where students tackle an authentic task, developing and evidencing their professional engineering competencies.
You will also undertake a 60-credit dissertation project, supervised by academics working at the cutting edge of research and industry. There are a wide range of different themes from which projects may be chosen, from advanced control to bio-inspired technologies and commercial applications.
Visit our programme catalogue for full details of the structure and unit content for our MSc Aerial Robotics.
Entry requirements
You will typically need an upper second-class honours degree or an international equivalent in any subject.
We will consider your application if your interim grades are currently slightly lower than the programme's entry requirements and may make you an aspirational offer. This offer would be at the standard level, so you would need to achieve the standard entry requirements by the end of your degree.
We will also consider your application if your final overall achieved grade is slightly lower than the programme's entry requirement.
If your achieved grade is lower than our entry requirements, your application may be more likely to receive an offer if you have additional qualifications. If you have the following, please include your CV (curriculum vitae/résumé) when you apply:
- a relevant postgraduate qualification.
See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.
Read the programme admissions statement for important information on entry requirements, the application process and supporting documents required.
If English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our profile level E.
Further information about English language requirements and profile levels.
Fees and funding
- Home: full-time
- £16,800 per year
- Home: part-time (two years)
- £8,400 per year
- Overseas: full-time
- £37,900 per year
Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to an 8% increase in fees each year.
More about tuition fees, living costs and financial support.
Alumni discount
University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a 25% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study. Check your eligibility for an alumni discount.
Funding and scholarships
Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.
Career prospects
The Aerial Robotics MSc covers technologies, theory, and practice at the cutting edge of the sector, and equips students to work directly in the aerospace industry, or in the broad range of embedded contexts across modern sectors.
Bristol is a UK, European, and international hub for the aerospace sector, and the University has close links with large and small companies locally and around the world.
The programme includes opportunities for engagement with industry partners and collaborators, and for students to develop and curate a portfolio of authentic and impactful work.
The group project is structured around an authentic scenario that connects to the Flight Lab and/or our collaborators' research and industrial work, past examples include volcanic sensing, wildlife census, and search and rescue scenarios. Students work in teams to tackle the technical challenge alongside developing and evidencing their project, team, and personal management skills. Graduates have told us that this has been invaluable in competency-based employer assessment centres.
Similarly, the dissertation project is supervised by academics working on current problems at the cutting edge of research and industry, often in collaboration with industry. This substantial, deep project offers excellent opportunities for students to enhance their experiences and portfolio.
The University also supports a thriving startup ecosystem, with our world-leading startup incubator, SETsquared, offering entrepreneurial training and competitions. Several student societies support drone and wider technology entrepreneurism and competition entries, and we foster thriving University and programme-level alumni networks.
Past graduates from the Aerial Robotics MSc have progressed on to opportunities with:
- traditional, large and small aerospace employers
- start-ups working on urban air mobility, transport, and logistics
- research institutions
- associated sensing and data-focused companies
- broader technology, manufacturing, consulting, cybersecurity, and defence careers.
Contact us
- Contact
- Enquiries Team
- Phone
- +44 (0) 117 394 1649
- choosebristol-pg@bristol.ac.uk