Prof. Robert Camilleri is an academic within the Institute of Aerospace Technologies at the University of Malta. He is involved both in teaching and research. In teaching, he delivers study units on aircraft conceptual design, aircraft performance and aircraft powerplants. In research, he has attracted over Euro 2M in research funding on topics of flight data analysis, electrical machine design, and energy storage solutions, for which he acts as Principal Investigator. His research output includes over 50 publications in journals and peer reviewed conferences, technical and industrial documents, and 3 patent applications. Robert graduated with a DPhil in Engineering Science from the University of Oxford. He holds a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Malta and a Master’s degree in Thermal Power and Propulsion from Cranfield University. He has over 15 years working within an R&D environment in industry and academia. He is a warranted aircraft accident investigator with the BAAI.
Aircraft performance
Gas turbine technology
More electric aircraft
Heat Exchanger Technology
Electrical machine design
Thermal management of electrical machines, electronics and battery technology
LAS2048 - Introduction to Civil Aviation and Aeronautics
Robert has successfully attracted the following funded research projects, which he currently leads:
• Investigating hybrid Turbo-ElectRic AicrafT Engines (ITERATE) Project duration: 2021-2023 Funding Body: UM TRAKE fund Project budget: ca. Euro s00k
• REducing AirCraft Taxiing emissIons through energy recoVery and storagE (REACTIVE) Project duration: 2021-2023 Funding Body: SINO-MALTA Fund Project budget: ca. Euro 400k; UM share ca. Euro 200k. In collaboration with University of Nottingham Ningbo China and Shandong University, China
• Analysis of flight data anomalies within a Weather, Geographical and Engineering context (WAGE) Project duration: 2021-2024 Funding Body: Technology Development Programme - MCST National R&I funds. Project budget: ca. Euro 200k; UM share ca. Euro 150k. In collaboration with industrial partner QuAero
• Buoy Eau Air - Multiple drone systems (BEA) Project duration: 2020-2022 Funding Body: Technology Development Programme - MCST National R&I funds. Project budget: ca. Euro 200k; UM share ca. Euro 150k. In collaboration with industrial partner DiversCode
• Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERSair) for a landing Aircraft Project duration: 2019 - 2021 Funding Body: Technology Development Programme - MCST National R&I funds. Project budget: ca. Euro 200k; UM share ca. Euro 150k. In collaboration with industrial partner MEDAVIA Ltd.
Past projects that have been successfully completed include:
• A Calorimetric detection System for Hypervelocity Impacts (CaDetS) Project duration: 2018 Funding Body: International Partnership Award Scheme (IPAS2018) - MCST National R&I funds. Project budget: ca. Euro 5k. In collaboration with University of Oxford and University of Padova.
• Novel Evaporative Cooled (NEVAC) Battery Technology Project duration: 2017 - 2020 Funding Body: Technology Development Programme – MCST National R&I funds. Project budget: ca. Euro 200k; UM share ca. Euro 150k. In collaboration with industrial partner ABERTAX KEMTRONICS LTD.
• SMART Flight Data Monitoring (SMARTFDM) Project Duration: 2017 - 2020 Funding body: Technology Development Programme - MCST National R&I funds. Project budget: ca. Euro 200k; UM share ca. Euro 150k. In collaboration with industrial partner QuAero LTD.
• SMARTCOPTER project ended 2018 Funding body: Technology Development Programme - MCST National R&I funds. Project budget: ca. Euro 200k; UM share ca. Euro 75k. In collaboration with industrial partner Celier Aviation Malta.
