Courses and Lectures
We felt that to advance our project any further, we needed to understand the basic physical concepts in much more depth.
We want an established expert to come and fill us in on the detail, and we'd prefer that they're a good teacher as well as a
technical authority in the subject area!
Sophrodyne's staff are experienced academics with decades of experience in refining and developing the classroom experience, and are particularly skilled at adapting conceptually-difficult material for effective delivery. Aerodynamics lends itself to a highly graphic presentation - indeed, the underpinning theory is fundamentally geometric in nature. A hallmark of our approach is that we exploit the geometric character of the subject matter to give our students a fundamental grasp of the underlying concepts before showing them how to express and manipulate these concepts using symbolic mathematical language. These courses are ideal to improve your aerodynamic knowledge and to develop your technical skills in specific areas of interest. They are given at various times of year, usually online but occasionally in person at selected venues.
Dr Brown also has a reputation as an entertaining and thought-provoking public speaker. He has a portfolio of one-hour lectures that are designed to bring the wonders of aeronautics to a range of audiences, from the lay-person to the technically-proficient generalist. These lectures are usually delivered in person, but, as of more recently, also in on-line format.
Some of these lectures and courses are listed below. If you would be interested in attending, or booking a course or lecture for delivery at your institution, then do please get in contact. If there is a topic for a course or lecture that you would specifically like to see presented, but it is not in the list, then please do also get in touch - we'd be very happy to hear from you!
Watch a short snippet of one of Dr Brown's online courses :
Here Dr Brown begins to explain the advantages of staging in the design of a rocket as part of his
'Introduction to Space Flight and Rocket Technology' course.
Courses Currently Offered
Introduction to Propeller and Rotor Design for UAVs
(Online Module)
Description
A course of ten lectures, giving a fundamental understanding of the aerodynamics of propellers and rotors, with specific focus on the particular issues faced in designing propellers and rotors for drones and UAVs.
A course of ten lectures, giving a fundamental understanding of the aerodynamics of propellers and rotors, with specific focus on the particular issues faced in designing propellers and rotors for drones and UAVs.
Syllabus:
- Introduction
- Aerodynamics of propeller blades
- Aerodynamics of the propeller wake
- Propeller control - variable pitch and variable speed
- Propeller performance in axial flight
- Propeller performance in edgewise flight
- Advanced aerodynamic effects
- Characteristics of multi-propeller systems
- Propeller noise and its minimisation
- Design for performance and performance optimisation
Next Scheduled Course :
Register your interest in attending :
Not presently scheduled.
Register your interest in attending :
Introduction to Aircraft Performance
(Online Module)
Description
A course of ten lectures, giving a fundamental understanding of aircraft performance and its modelling - from drones and UAVs to supersonic jets.
A course of ten lectures, giving a fundamental understanding of aircraft performance and its modelling - from drones and UAVs to supersonic jets.
Syllabus:
- Introduction
- Modelling the properties of the atmosphere
- Altitude effects on aircraft performance
- Modelling the aircraft's lift and drag
- Modelling the aircraft's motion
- Aircraft range and endurance
- Climbing flight
- Turn performance
- Energy methods
- Design for performance and performance optimisation
Next Scheduled Course :
Register your interest in attending :
Not presently scheduled.
Register your interest in attending :
Introduction to Helicopter Rotor Aeromechanics
(Online Module)
Description
A course of ten lectures, giving a fundamental understanding of how the aerodynamics and the natural dynamics of the rotor blades of a helicopter rotor combine to produce one of the most efficient lifting devices ever devised.
A course of ten lectures, giving a fundamental understanding of how the aerodynamics and the natural dynamics of the rotor blades of a helicopter rotor combine to produce one of the most efficient lifting devices ever devised.
Syllabus:
- Introduction
- Geometry and kinematics of the rotor and its blades
- Dynamic equations of the rotor and its blades
- Rotor aerodynamics in hover
- Blade and rotor dynamics in hover
- Rotor aerodynamics in forward flight
- Rotor dynamics in forward flight in the absence of control
- Rotor dynamics in forward flight in the presence of control
- Advanced aerodynamic models for forward flight
- Design for performance and performance optimisation
Next Scheduled Course :
Register your interest in attending :
Not presently scheduled.
Register your interest in attending :
Introduction to Aircraft Flight Mechanics
(Online Module)
Description
A course of ten lectures, giving an introduction to the mathematical theory that underpins the rigid-body dynamics of fixed-wing aircraft.
A course of ten lectures, giving an introduction to the mathematical theory that underpins the rigid-body dynamics of fixed-wing aircraft.
Syllabus:
- Introduction
- Modelling the dynamics of a rigid body
- Equilibrium, trim and stability
- Linearising the equations of motion
- Stability derivatives - longitudinal
- Stability derivatives - lateral
- Longitudinal small-amplitude dynamics of a conventional aircraft
- Lateral small-amplitude dynamics of a conventional aircraft
- Basics of control
- Design for dynamic characteristics
Next Scheduled Course :
Register your interest in attending :
Not presently scheduled.
Register your interest in attending :
Introduction to Propeller and Rotor Design for UAVs
(Online Module)
Description
A course of ten lectures, giving a fundamental understanding of the aerodynamics of propellers and rotors, with specific focus on the particular issues faced in designing propellers and rotors for drones and UAVs.
A course of ten lectures, giving a fundamental understanding of the aerodynamics of propellers and rotors, with specific focus on the particular issues faced in designing propellers and rotors for drones and UAVs.
Introduction to Aircraft Performance
(Online Module)
Description
A course of ten lectures, giving a fundamental understanding of aircraft performance and its modelling - from drones and UAVs to supersonic jets.
A course of ten lectures, giving a fundamental understanding of aircraft performance and its modelling - from drones and UAVs to supersonic jets.
Introduction to Helicopter Rotor Aeromechanics
(Online Module)
Description
A course of ten lectures, giving a fundamental understanding of how the aerodynamics and the natural dynamics of the rotor blades of a helicopter rotor combine to produce one of the most efficient lifting devices ever devised.
A course of ten lectures, giving a fundamental understanding of how the aerodynamics and the natural dynamics of the rotor blades of a helicopter rotor combine to produce one of the most efficient lifting devices ever devised.
Introduction to Aircraft Flight Mechanics
(Online Module)
Description
A course of ten lectures, giving an introduction to the mathematical theory that underpins the rigid-body dynamics of fixed-wing aircraft.
A course of ten lectures, giving an introduction to the mathematical theory that underpins the rigid-body dynamics of fixed-wing aircraft.
What previous attendees have said :
Other courses available:
- Introduction to Space Flight and Rocket Technology
- Introduction to Aircraft Propulsion Systems
- Aerodynamics for Drones and UAVs
- Advanced Flight Mechanics for Fixed-Wing Aircraft
Contact Dr Brown to schedule availability :
Public Lectures Currently Offered
The Mystery of the Bumblebee that Flew
(Hour-long Public Lecture)
'
Description
An entertaining lecture complete with good guys and villains - explaining that aerodynamicists do actually have a very good idea of how bumblebees fly even if the insects themselves do not!
An entertaining lecture complete with good guys and villains - explaining that aerodynamicists do actually have a very good idea of how bumblebees fly even if the insects themselves do not!
Next Scheduled Lecture :
Register your interest in attending :
6pm GMT on Wednesday 25 November, Online
Register your interest in attending :
Understanding the Vortex Ring State
(Hour-long Technical Lecture)
'
Description
How aerodynamicists came to understand the cause of an obscure aerodynamic instability that threatened to derail a major rotorcraft programme.
How aerodynamicists came to understand the cause of an obscure aerodynamic instability that threatened to derail a major rotorcraft programme.
Next Scheduled Lecture :
Register your interest in attending :
7pm GMT on Thursday 8 December, Online
Register your interest in attending :
Shockwaves and the Design of Future Spacecraft
(Hour-long Public Lecture)
'
Description
How aerodynamics has been used since the 1950s to design spacecraft that will return their passengers safely to earth.
How aerodynamics has been used since the 1950s to design spacecraft that will return their passengers safely to earth.
Next Scheduled Lecture :
Register your interest in attending :
Not currently scheduled
Register your interest in attending :
Around the World in Eighty Minutes - Future Air Transport
(Hour-long Public Lecture)
'
Description
How futuristic technology will radically change the design of tomorrow's airliners.
How futuristic technology will radically change the design of tomorrow's airliners.
Next Scheduled Lecture :
Register your interest in attending :
Not currently scheduled
Register your interest in attending :
The Mystery of the Bumblebee that Flew
(Hour-long Public Lecture)
Description
An entertaining lecture complete with good guys and villains - explaining that aerodynamicists do actually have a very good idea of how bumblebees fly even if the insects themselves do not!
An entertaining lecture complete with good guys and villains - explaining that aerodynamicists do actually have a very good idea of how bumblebees fly even if the insects themselves do not!
Understanding the Vortex Ring State
(Hour-long Technical Lecture)
Description
How aerodynamicists came to understand the cause of an obscure aerodynamic instability that threatened to derail a major rotorcraft programme.
How aerodynamicists came to understand the cause of an obscure aerodynamic instability that threatened to derail a major rotorcraft programme.
Shockwaves and the Design of Future Spacecraft
(Hour-long Public Lecture)
Description
How aerodynamics has been used since the 1950s to design spacecraft that will return their passengers safely to earth.
How aerodynamics has been used since the 1950s to design spacecraft that will return their passengers safely to earth.
Around the World in Eighty Minutes - Future Air Transport
(Hour-long Public Lecture)
Description
How futuristic technology will radically change the design of tomorrow's airliners.
How futuristic technology will radically change the design of tomorrow's airliners.
What previous attendees have said :
... Dr Brown is an engaging speaker and a goldmine of interesting information.
... I really enjoyed the way he handled some tricky questions!
... I've been in the business for years, but I learned a few things this evening.
... I really enjoyed the way he handled some tricky questions!
... I've been in the business for years, but I learned a few things this evening.
Other lectures available:
- Vertical Takeoff and Landing - Precedents and Prospects for Future Flight
- How a Wing Works - Newton and Bernoulli in the Service of Aviation
- Flight Beyond the Sound Barrier - How We Design Aircraft for Speed
Contact Dr Brown to schedule availability :
© Sophrodyne Ltd 2015 - 2025
... Dr Brown's enthusiasm and technical expertise are unparalleled.
... Time so well spent - awesome!