Georgia Tech has announced the opening of its new Aircraft Prototyping Laboratory, a facility focused on research in electric and autonomous flight. The laboratory aims to support collaboration between academic, government, and industry partners. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for September 25.
The facility will be used by the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering. It is intended to help strengthen Georgia’s aerospace sector through technical research, engineering expertise, and student training.
“This facility demonstrates Georgia Tech’s long-term commitment to pioneering the technologies that will shape the future of aviation,” said Ángel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech. “Aerospace products are Georgia’s No. 1 export, and the Institute’s top-ranked Guggenheim School produces some of the nation’s top aerospace engineering talent. With this advanced laboratory, we’re making strategic investments that will grow our state’s and our Institute’s national leadership in aerospace innovation and advanced manufacturing.”
The laboratory covers 10,000 square feet in Georgia Tech’s North Avenue Research Area. It includes specialized spaces such as an electric powertrain lab, propulsion system test cell, avionics lab, composites fabrication area, and a high-bay integration space designed for prototype aircraft with wingspans up to 20 feet.
One major project at the facility is RAVEN (Research Aircraft for eVTOL Enabling techNologies), which is a partnership with NASA to develop an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) research aircraft weighing about 1,000 pounds. The aircraft will be used to study electric propulsion reliability, flight controls, noise reduction, and autonomy. Systems integration and testing for RAVEN will take place in the new laboratory.
“The Aircraft Prototyping Laboratory is the centerpiece of an ecosystem of flight research that we are building at Georgia Tech, focused on eVTOLs, drones, and other advanced air vehicles,” said Brian German, professor of aerospace engineering at Georgia Tech. “We greatly appreciate the long-term partnership we’ve had with NASA in the development of RAVEN, and we’ve designed the facility specifically to support RAVEN and aircraft of a similar scale.”
Other ongoing projects include a solar-electric aircraft demonstrator and SETTER—a subscale eVTOL testbed for developing safety-critical software applications. These efforts contribute to expanding flight testing and research collaborations with regional facilities around metro Atlanta.
“These 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 Georgia Tech and the state of Georgia remain leaders in aerospace innovation and economic development,” said Mitchell Walker, William R.T. Oakes Professor and chair of the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering.
Georgia Tech educates more than 2,000 aerospace students each year. Its aerospace engineering program holds a top ranking among public universities nationally.
