Dr Robert Bolam

Reader in Aeronautical Engineering

Picture of staff member

Rob attended Holywell High School and began his career as an Engineering Apprentice at British Aerospace in Broughton. He studied Aeronautical Engineering at the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (N.E.W.I) which has now become Wrexham University. He has since gained extensive industrial experience in Aircraft Development and Design and has worked on a wide variety of civil, military, and unmanned aircraft projects both in the UK and abroad. In 1992 He founded Altitude Products Ltd., an Aerospace Design Consultancy and Equipment Manufacturing company which he ran until 2004.

At Wrexham University, Rob established the MSc course on Unmanned Aircraft Systems Technology (UAST) and the Aircraft Electrical Propulsion (AEP) laboratory which is based at the Wrexham Optic Centre (St. Asaph campus). He currently leads a Welsh Government funded industrial collaborative research project, to develop an innovative ducted electrical fan-jet, intended for high-speed aircraft propulsion.

Rob maintains an avid interest in all aspects of aviation and is passionate about enriching the students’ experiences whilst they study at Wrexham. He is involved in supervising the Wrexham team for the annual IMechE Unmanned Aircraft System Challenge competition and in organising field trips and practical UAS flying events at the Wrexham Northop campus flying field.

Publications

Year Publication Type
2023 A power budget analysis of an electrical uncrewed air vehicle (UAV) flying a basic mission profile, 
Bolam, Robert;Roque, Jhon Paul;Vagapov, Yuriy;Day, Richard;Slepchenkov, Mikhail
Other Publication
2022 Torque-speed characteristics for electrically powered rim driven fans and thrust comparison with a small conventional fan jet engine, Proc. 57th Int. Universities Power Engineering Conference (UPEC-2022), Istanbul, Turkey, 30 Aug. - 2. [DOI]
R. C. Bolam, J. P. C. Roque, Y. Vagapov and R. J. Day
Conference Publication
2022 Torque-speed characteristics for electrically powered rim driven fans and thrust comparison with a small conventional fan jet engine, 
Bolam, Robert;Roque, Jhon Paul;Vagapov, Yuriy;Day, Richard
Other Publication
2022 The application of slotless skewed windings to a rim driven fan for aircraft electrical propulsion (AEP), 
Saulin, Antoine;Bolam, Robert;Roque, Jhon Paul;Vagapov, Yuriy
Other Publication
2022 Numerical Analysis of an Electric High-Speed Rim-Driven Rotor, 
Roque, Jhon Paul;Bolam, Robert;Vagapov, Yuriy;Anuchin, Alecksey
Other Publication
2022 The Application of Slotless Skewed Windings to a Rim Driven Fan for Aircraft Electrical Propulsion (AEP), 2022 57TH INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES POWER ENGINEERING CONFERENCE (UPEC 2022): BIG DATA AND SMART GRIDS. [DOI]
Saulin, Antoine;Bolam, Robert Cameron;Roque, Jhon Paul C.;Vagapov, Yuriy
Conference Publication
2021 Review of Low Aspect Ratio Blade Dynamics for Electrical Axial Fans and Compressors, 2021 56TH INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES POWER ENGINEERING CONFERENCE (UPEC 2021): POWERING NET ZERO EMISSIONS. [DOI]
Roque, Jhon Paul C.;Bolam, Robert Cameron;Vagapov, Yuriy;Monir, Shafiul;Anuchin, Alecksey
Conference Publication
2021 Aerodynamic Analysis and Design of a Rim-Driven Fan for Fast Flight, JOURNAL OF PROPULSION AND POWER, 37. [DOI]
Bolam, Robert C.;Vagapov, Yuriy;Day, Richard J.;Anuchin, Alecksey
Peer Reviewed Journal
2021 Review of low aspect ratio blade dynamics for electrical axial fans and compressors, 
Roque, Jhon Paul;Bolam, Robert;Vagapov, Yuriy;Monir, Shafiul;Anuchin, Alecksey
Other Publication
2020 Performance Comparison between Copper and Aluminium Windings in a Rim Driven Fan for a Small Unmanned Aircraft Application, 2020 XI INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ELECTRICAL POWER DRIVE SYSTEMS (ICEPDS). 
Bolam, Robert Cameron;Vagapov, Yuriy;Anuchin, Alecksey
Conference Publication
2020 Optimum Performance Determination of Single-Stage and Dual-Stage (Contra-Rotating) Rim Driven Fans for Electric Aircraft, 2020 XI INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ELECTRICAL POWER DRIVE SYSTEMS (ICEPDS). 
Bolam, Robert Cameron;Vagapov, Yuriy;Laughton, Jon;Anuchin, Alecksey
Conference Publication
2020 A Review of Electrical Motor Topologies for Aircraft Propulsion, 2020 55TH INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES POWER ENGINEERING CONFERENCE (UPEC). [DOI]
Bolam, Robert Cameron;Vagapov, Yuriy;Anuchin, Alecksey
Conference Publication
2020 Aerodynamic Analysis and Design of a Rim-Driven Fan for Fast Flight, [DOI]
Bolam, Robert;Vagapov, Yuriy;Day, Richard;Anuchin, Alecksey
Peer Reviewed Journal
2020 A review of electrical motor topologies for aircraft propulsion, 
Bolam, Robert;Vagapov, Yuriy;Anuchin, Alecksey
Other Publication
2020 Performance comparison between copper and aluminium windings in a rim driven fan for a small unmanned aircraft application, 
Bolam, Robert;Vagapov, Yuriy;Anuchin, Alecksey
Other Publication
2020 Optimum performance determination of single-stage and dual-stage (contra-rotating) rim driven fans for electric aircraft, 
Bolam, Robert;Vagapov, Yuriy;Laughton, Jon;Anuchin, Alecksey
Other Publication
2019 Analysis of the Effects on the Pitching, Rolling and Yawing Rate of a V-tail Configured Quadcopter, 2019 26TH INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON ELECTRIC DRIVES: IMPROVEMENT IN EFFICIENCY OF ELECTRIC DRIVES (IWED) PROCEEDINGS. 
McClanahan, Christopher;Bolam, Robert Cameron;Vagapov, Yuriy;Anuchin, Alecksey
Conference Publication
2019 Analysis of the effects on the pitching, rolling and yawing rate of a v-tail configured quadcopter, 
McClanahan, Christopher;Bolam, Robert;Vagapov, Yuriy;Anuchin, Alecksey
Other Publication
2018 Review of Electrically Powered Propulsion for Aircraft, 2018 53RD INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES POWER ENGINEERING CONFERENCE (UPEC). [DOI]
Bolam, Robert Cameron;Vagapov, Yuriy;Anuchin, Alecksey
Conference Publication
2018 Ultrasonic Sensor for UAV Flight Navigation, 2018 25TH INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON ELECTRIC DRIVES: OPTIMIZATION IN CONTROL OF ELECTRIC DRIVES (IWED2018). [DOI]
Davies, David Gareth;Bolam, Robert Cameron;Vagapov, Yuriy;Excell, Peter
Conference Publication
2018 Design of a Portable Drone for Educational Purposes, 2018 25TH INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON ELECTRIC DRIVES: OPTIMIZATION IN CONTROL OF ELECTRIC DRIVES (IWED2018). 
Hell, Maximilian;Bolam, Robert C.;Vagapov, Yuriy;Anuchin, Alecksey
Conference Publication
2018 Review of Unmanned Aircraft System Technologies to Enable Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Operations, 2018 X INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ELECTRICAL POWER DRIVE SYSTEMS (ICEPDS). [DOI]
Davies, Lee;Bolam, Robert Cameron;Vagapov, Yuriy;Anuchin, Alecksey
Conference Publication
2018 Review of electrically powered propulsion for aircraft, 
Bolam, Robert;Vagapov, Yuriy;Anuchin, Alecksey
Other Publication
2018 Review of unmanned aircraft system technologies to enable beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, 
Davies, Lee;Bolam, Robert;Vagapov, Yuriy;Anuchin, Alecksey
Other Publication
2018 Design of a Portable Drone for Educational Purposes, 
Vagapov, Yuriy;Bolam, Robert;Maximillian, Hell
Other Publication
2018 Ultrasonic sensor for UAV flight navigation, 
Vagapov, Yuriy;Bolam, Robert;Davies, David Gareth;Excell, Peter S
Other Publication
2017 Curriculum Development of Undergraduate and Post Graduate Courses on Small Unmanned Aircraft, 2017 52ND INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES POWER ENGINEERING CONFERENCE (UPEC). [DOI]
Bolam, Robert Cameron;Vagapov, Yuriy;Anuchin, Alecksey
Conference Publication
2017 Implementation of Electrical Rim Driven Fan Technology to Small Unmanned Aircraft, PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2017 7TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE INTERNET TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS (ITA). 
Bolam, Robert Cameron;Vagapov, Yuriy
Conference Publication
2017 Curriculum development of undergraduate and post graduate courses on small unmanned aircraft, 
Bolam, Robert;Vagapov, Yuriy
Other Publication
2017 Implementation of electrical rim driven fan technology to small unmanned aircraft, 
Bolam, Robert;Vagapov, Yuriy
Other Publication

Programs/ Modules Coordinated

Title Subject
Managing Workforce, Engagement & Commitment ENG6AE
Continuous Improvement and Lean ENG6A1