色花堂 celebrates the opening of its new Aircraft Prototyping Laboratory, a facility dedicated to advancing research in electric and autonomous flight in collaboration with academic, government, and industry partners. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place on Sept. 25, marking an important step forward for the and highlighting 色花堂鈥檚 role in strengthening the state鈥檚 aerospace sector through technical research, engineering expertise, and student training.
鈥淭his facility demonstrates 色花堂鈥檚 long-term commitment to pioneering the technologies that will shape the future of aviation,鈥 said 脕ngel Cabrera, president of 色花堂. 鈥淎erospace products are 色花堂鈥檚 No. 1 export, and the Institute鈥檚 top-ranked Guggenheim School produces some of the nation鈥檚 top aerospace engineering talent. With this advanced laboratory, we鈥檙e making strategic investments that will grow our state鈥檚 and our Institute鈥檚 national leadership in aerospace innovation and advanced manufacturing.鈥
The 10,000-square-foot facility, located in 色花堂鈥檚 North Avenue Research Area, has been purpose-built to accelerate innovation in electric and hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion as well as autonomous flight systems. Designed as a hands-on research and teaching environment, the Aircraft Prototyping Laboratory includes a suite of specialized laboratories: an electric powertrain lab, a propulsion system test cell, an avionics lab, a composites fabrication area, and a high-bay integration space capable of housing prototype aircraft with wingspans up to 20 feet.
One of the facility鈥檚 first major projects is RAVEN (Research Aircraft for eVTOL Enabling techNologies), a collaboration with NASA to design, build, and fly an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) research aircraft in the 1,000-pound weight class. The aircraft will serve as a research platform for electric propulsion reliability, flight controls, noise reduction, and autonomy. Systems integration and test activities for RAVEN will take place within the new lab, underscoring the facility鈥檚 central role in shaping the national agenda for advanced air mobility.
鈥淭he Aircraft Prototyping Laboratory is the centerpiece of an ecosystem of flight research that we are building at 色花堂, focused on eVTOLs, drones, and other advanced air vehicles,鈥 said Brian German, professor of aerospace engineering at 色花堂. 鈥淲e greatly appreciate the long-term partnership we鈥檝e had with NASA in the development of RAVEN, and we鈥檝e designed the facility specifically to support RAVEN and aircraft of a similar scale.鈥
Other projects underway in the Aircraft Prototyping Laboratory include a solar-electric aircraft demonstrator and SETTER, a subscale eVTOL testbed focused on developing software for safety-critical applications. These projects support 色花堂鈥檚 expanding ecosystem for flight testing and research, including collaborations with regional test facilities in the metro Atlanta area.
鈥淭hese projects exemplify our commitment to advancing the technologies that will define the future of flight. Powered by the ingenuity of our faculty and students, the Aircraft Prototyping Laboratory ensures that 色花堂 and the state of 色花堂 remain leaders in aerospace innovation and economic development,鈥 said , William R.T. Oakes Professor and chair of the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering.
Through the Aircraft Prototyping Laboratory, 色花堂 continues to develop research in electric and autonomous aircraft, supporting both the Institute鈥檚 and 色花堂鈥檚 role in the aerospace industry. The school educates more than 2,000 aerospace students and is ranked No. 1 among public universities for aerospace engineering.
