Contact Dr Craig Lawson
- Tel: +44 (0) 1234 754686
- Email: c.p.lawson@cranfield.ac.uk
- ORCID
- Google Scholar
- ResearchGate
Areas of expertise
- Aeronautical Systems
- Aerospace Manufacturing
- Aircraft Design
- Autonomous Systems
- Computing, Simulation & Modelling
- Systems Engineering
Background
Following the completion of a BEng (Hons.) in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Edinburgh, Dr Lawson came to Cranfield in 1999 to research a PhD in Gas Turbine Instrumentation. Craig has been involved in teaching aircraft design at Cranfield since 2003, and was awarded “Cranfield Students' Association Best Lecturer (School of Engineering) 2013-14”.
Craig served as Chief Systems Engineer and Flight Trials Commander for the Demon UAV (FLAVIIR project 2007-2011 £5m). The Demon turbojet UAV was funded by BAE Systems and the UK EPSRC, and achieved a world-first by demonstrating controlled flight without the use of moving control surfaces. This was accomplished by using fluidic control devices utilizing the Coanda effect. Dr Lawson was given the BAE Systems Chairman’s Bronze Award 2010 for supporting Total Performance Culture by transferring best practice to apprentices in the assembly of the Demon UAV. Craig was given the BAE Systems Chairman's Silver Award 2011 in Innovation for the Demon UAV Project.
Craig was Programme Manager (acting as co-PI) for Cranfield University’s participation in the Clean Sky: Systems for Green Operation, Integrated Technology Demonstrator (2008-2015 work-share £1.2m). The research was centred on the development of the GATAC (Green Aircraft Trajectories with ATM Constraints) simulation environment. Deployment of this tool has included investigating the aircraft energy and trajectory implications of ‘more electric’ airframe systems, compared to conventional systems. Some results of this activity are included in a paper which was awarded the 2014 SAE Arch T. Colwell Merit Award.
Dr Lawson was a Co-Investigator on the Airbus and UK ATI funded Future of Aircraft Factory Project (2015-2017). This research advanced aircraft wing systems design for manufacturability, which is a key enabler to increase A320 production rates.
Craig was the Principal Investigator (€300k) on the EU Horizon2020 project on Future Aircraft Cabins for the Asian Market, led by Airbus (FUCAM 2016-2019 €1.8m).
Dr Lawson was the Principal Investigator (£450k) on the UK ATI funded project UHBR Thermals, led by Meggitt (2017-2021 £3.8m). This research developed new schemes and modelling tools for integrated aircraft-engine thermal management for transport aircraft.
In 2021, Craig was an investigator on the ATI FlyZero project looking at both sustainable cabins and novel high lift devices.
Current activities
Dr Lawson is the Course Director for the MSc in Aircraft Engineering. He is a core and leading member of the Aerospace Vehicle Design MSc teaching team. Dr Lawson's current teaching responsibilities include lecturing Airframe Systems Design, and Aircraft Performance. Craig also leads the Airframe Systems Design activities in the AVD MSc Group Design Project. He also supervises design and research projects in the field of Aircraft Systems.
Current research topics:
- Aircraft integration of advanced systems technologies, including more electric systems and novel flight controls
- Airframe systems modelling for aircraft level operational optimisation
- Airframe systems modelling to improve preliminary aircraft design processes
- Airframe systems technologies for uninhabited air vehicles
- Aircraft level thermal management and aircraft performance impact
- Aircraft cabin systems
- Supersonic transport aircraft design with noise assessment
- Design of wing systems for assembly
Craig is a Co-Investigator and WP2 leader for the SENECA project (€5m 2021-2024), which is investigating noise in supersonic transport aircraft.
Dr Lawson is a Co-Investigator on the EPSRC funded project Decarbonising Transport through Electrification, a Whole System Approach (£916k EP/S032053/1 2019-2023). This research takes a high-level approach to look at integrated infrastructure for energy networks, land, sea and air transportation including electric and hybrid-electric aircraft.
Craig has
published more than 60 research papers, including 25+ peer-reviewed journal
papers. Craig has also published 2 book chapters and filed an EU/USA patent
with Airbus.
Dr Lawson is a Chartered Engineer, Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and serves as Honorary Secretary of the Cranfield Branch. He is also a Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy.
Clients
- ATI
- Airbus
- BAE Systems
- Boeing
- BiologIC
- EPSRC
- GKN
- InnovateUK
- Meggitt
- Rolls-Royce
- Thales
Publications
Articles In Journals
- van Heerden ASJ, Judt DM, Jafari S, Lawson CP, Nikolaidis T & Bosak D (2022) Aircraft thermal management: practices, technology, system architectures, future challenges, and opportunities, Progress in Aerospace Sciences, 128 (January) Article No. 100767.
- Verhulst T, Judt D, Lawson C, Chung Y, Al-Tayawe O & Ward G (2022) Review for state-of-the-art health monitoring technologies on airframe fuel pumps, International Journal of Prognostics and Health Management, 13 (1). Dataset/s: https://doi.org/10.36001/ijphm.2022.v13i1.3134
- Fu J, van Heerden ASJ, Judt D & Lawson C (2022) A generic mission-level flight control surface EMA power consumption simulation tool, Aerospace, 9 (6) Article No. 290.
- Judt D, Lawson C & van Heerden ASJ (2021) Rapid design of aircraft fuel quantity indication systems via multi-objective evolutionary algorithms, Integrated Computer-Aided Engineering, 28 (2) 141-158.
- Li T, Lockett H & Lawson CP (2020) Using requirement-functional-logical-physical models to support early assembly process planning for complex aircraft systems integration, Journal of Manufacturing Systems, 54 (January) 242-257.
- Judt D, Lawson C & Lockett H (2020) Experimental investigation into aircraft system manual assembly performance under varying structural component orientations, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part B: Journal of Engineering Manufacture, 234 (4) 840-855.
- Stockford JA, Lawson C & Liu Z (2019) Benefit and performance impact analysis of using hydrogen fuel cell powered e-taxi system on A320 class airliner, The Aeronautical Journal, 123 (1261) 378-397.
- Seresinhe R, Lawson C & Madani I (2018) Improving the operating efficiency of the more electric aircraft concept through optimised flight procedures, CEAS Aeronautical Journal, 10 (2) 463-478.
- Cooper M, Lawson C & Shahneh AZ (2017) Simulating actuator energy consumption for trajectory optimisation, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 232 (11) 2178-2192.
- Terada Y, Lawson CP & Shahneh AZ (2017) Analytical investigation into the effects of nitrogen enriched air bubbles to improve aircraft fuel system water management, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 233 (3) 861-870.
- Agarwal NK & Lawson CP (2017) A practical method to account for seal friction in aircraft hydraulic actuator preliminary design, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 231 (5) 941-950.
- Judt D, Forster K, Lockett H, Lawson C & Webb P (2016) Aircraft wing build philosophy change through system pre-equipping of major components, SAE International Journal of Aerospace, 9 (1) 190-197.
- Durango GJ, Lawson C & Zare Shaneh A (2016) Formation flight investigation for highly efficient future civil transport aircraft, The Aeronautical Journal, 120 (1229) 1081-1100.
- Judt DM & Lawson CP (2015) Application of an automated aircraft architecture generation and analysis tool to unmanned aerial vehicle subsystem design, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 229 (9) 1690-1708.
- Shetty J, Lawson C & Shahneh AZ (2015) Simulation for temperature control of a military aircraft cockpit to avoid pilot’s thermal stress, CEAS Aeronautical Journal, 6 (2) 319-333.
- Shinkafi A & Lawson C (2015) Development of a tool to study aircraft trajectory optimisation in the presence of icing conditions, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 229 (8) 1464-1484.
- Judt DM & Lawson C (2015) Development of an automated aircraft subsystem architecture generation and analysis tool, Engineering Computations, 33 (5) 1327-1352.
- Lawson CP & Monterzino GA (2014) Design manufacturing integration and flight testing of a health monitoring system for a prototype unmanned airborne vehicle, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 228 (7) 997-1009.
- Seresinhe R & Lawson C (2014) Electrical load-sizing methodology to aid conceptual and preliminary design of large commercial aircraft, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 229 (3) 445-466.
- Shinkafi A & Lawson CP (2014) Enhanced method of conceptual sizing of aircraft electro-thermal de-icing system, International Journal of Mechanical, Aerospace, Industrial, Mechatronic and Manufacturing Engineering, 8 (6) 1073-1080.
- Shinkafi A & Lawson CP (2013) Evaluating inflight ice protection methods for applications on next generation aircraft, Journal of Aerospace Engineering and Technology, 3 (3) 1-21.
- Seresinhe R & Lawson CP (2013) The MEA Evolution in Commercial Aircraft and the Consequences for Initial Aircraft Design, Journal of Aerospace Engineering and Technology, 3 (1) 1-15.
- Xia X & Lawson CP (2013) The development of a design methodology for dynamic power distribution management on a civil transport all electric aircraft, Aerospace Science and Technology, 25 (1) 125-131.
- Jemitola P, Monterzino G, Fielding JP & Lawson CP (2013) Tip fin inclination effect on structural design of a box-wing aircraft
, Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part G: Journal of Aerospace Engineering, 227 (1) 175-184. - Seresinhe R, Lawson CP & Sabatini R (2013) Environmental Impact Assessment, on the Operation of Conventional and More Electric Large Commercial Aircraft, SAE International Journal of Aerospace, 6 (1) 56-64.
- Linares C, Lawson CP & Smith H (2013) Multidisciplinary Optimisation Framework for Minimum Rotorcraft Fuel and Air Pollutants at Mission Level, The Aeronautical Journal, 117 (1193) 749-767.
- Baena S, Reppeto SL, Lawson CP & Lam JK-W (2013) Behaviour of water in jet fuel: a literature review, Progress in Aerospace Sciences, 60 35-44.
- Lawson CP, Longhurst PJ & Ivey P (2006) The application of a new research and development project selection model in SMEs, Technovation, 26 (2) 242-250.
- Lawson CP & Ivey PC (2005) Turbomachinery blade vibration amplitude measurement through tip timing with capacitance tip clearance probes, Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, 118 (1) 14-24.
Conference Papers
- Villena Munoz C, Bonavolontà G, Lawson C & Riaz A (2023) Conceptual design of a next generation supersonic airliner for low noise and emissions. In: AIAA SciTech Forum 2023, National Harbor, 23-27 January 2023.
- Verhulst T, Ng EY-K, Chung Y, Judt D & Lawson C (2022) Predicting cavitation erosion on two-stage pumps using CFD. In: ASME Turbo Expo 2022: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition, Rotterdam, 13-17 June 2022.
- Jafari S, Nikolaidis T, van Heerden ASJ, Lawson CP & Bosak D (2021) Physics-based thermal model for power gearboxes in geared turbofan engines. In: ASME Turbo Expo 2020: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition (GT2020), London: Virtual Event, 21-25 September 2020.
- van Heerden ASJ, Judt DM, Lawson CP, Jafari S & Nikolaidis T (2020) Framework for integrated dynamic thermal simulation of future civil transport aircraft. In: AIAA SciTech Forum 2020, Orlando, Florida, 6-10 January 2020.
- Navaratne R, Sethi V & Lawson CP (2019) Impact of engine degradation on optimum aircraft trajectories – short range. In: ASME Turbo Expo 2019: Turbomachinery Technical Conference and Exposition (GT2019), Phoenix, 17-21 June 2019.
- van Heerden ASJ, Judt D, Lawson CP & Bosak D (2019) Effects of more electric systems on fuel tank thermal behaviour. In: MEA 2019 More Electric Aircraft, Toulouse, 6-7 February 2019.
- Hashim F, Lawson CP & Judt DM (2016) Rotorcraft systems modelling for twin-engine heavy helicopter. In: ICAS 2016: 30th Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, Daejeon, 25-30 September 2016.
- Baena S, Lam J & Lawson CP (2015) Effects of ice accretion in an aircraft protective mesh strainer of a fuel pump. In: SAE 2015 AeroTech Congress & Exhibition, Seattle, Washington, 22-24 September 2015.
- Lawson C, Madani I, Seresinhe R & Nalianda D (2015) Trajectory Optimization of Airliners to Minimize Environmental Impact. In: SAE 2015 AeroTech Congress & Exhibition, Seattle, Washington, 22-24 September 2015.
- Heaton AE, Fan IS, Jennions IK, Lawson C & McFeat J (2015) A V-diagram for the design of integrated health management for unmanned aerial systems. In: Annual Conference of the Prognostics and Health Management Society, Coronado, California, 18-24 October 2015.
- Shinkafi A, Lawson C, Seresinhe R, Quaglia D & Madani I (2014) An intelligent ice protection system for next generation aircraft trajectory optimisation. In: 29th Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, 2014, St. Petersburg, 7-12 September 2014.
- Seresinhe R, Lawson C, Shinkafi A, Quaglia D & Madani I (2014) Airframe systems power off-take modelling in more-electric large aircraft for use in trajectory optimisation. In: 29th Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, 2014, St Petersburg, 7-12 September 2014.
- Heaton AE, Verma R, Fan I-S, Jennions IK, Lawson C & McFeat J (2013) Defining Integrated Vehicle Health Management requirements for unmanned aircraft using a QFD approach. In: AIAA Infotech@Aerospace 2013, Boston, MA, 19-22 August 2013.
- Scholz D, Seresinhe R, Staack I & Lawson CP (2013) Fuel consumption due to shaft power off-takes from the engine. In: 4th International Workshop on Aircraft System Technologies (AST 2013), Hamburg, 23-24 April 2013.
- Cooper MA, Lawson CP, Quaglia D, Zammit-Mangion D & Sabatini R Trajectory optimisation for energy efficiency of an aircraft with electrical and hydraulic actuation systems. In: 28th Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, Brisbane, 23 September 2012.
- Heaton AE, Fan I-S, Lawson C, McFeat J & Hill J (2012) Assessing vehicle health management requirements for Unmanned Air Systems. In: AIAA Infotech@Aerospace 2012, Garden Grove, Orange County, 19-21 June 2012.
- Baena S, Lawson CP & Lam JK-W (2012) Cold Fuel Test Rig To Investigate Ice Accretion On Different Pump Inlet Filter-Mesh Screens. In: 28th Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, Brisbane, 24 September 2012.
- Cooper MA, Lawson CP, Quaglia D, Zammit-Mangion D & Sabatini R (2012) Towards trajectory prediction and optimisation for energy efficiency of an aircraft with electrical and hydraulic actuation systems. In: 28th Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, Brisbane, 23 September 2012.
- Judt D & Lawson CP (2012) Methodology for automated aircraft systems architecture enumeration and analysis. In: 12th AIAA aviation technology, integration, and operations conference and 14th AIAA/ISSMO multidisciplinary analysis and optimization conference (ATIO/MAO 2012), Indianapolis, IN, 17-19 September 2012.
- Baena S, Lawson C & Lam J (2011) Dimensional Analysis to Parameterise Ice Accretion on Mesh Strainers. In: SAE Aerospace Technology Conference and Exposition 2011, Toulouse, 18-21 October 2011.
- Fielding JP, Lawson CP, Pires RM & Monterzino G (2011) Design Build and Flight of the Demon Demonstrator UAV. In: 11th AIAA ATIO Conference, Virginia Beach, 20-22 September 2011.
- Monterzino GAI & Lawson CP (2010) Development of a Pneumatic System to Enable Flight Without Conventional Control Surfaces. In: 27th Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, Nice, 19 September 2010.
- Wetterwald M, Lawson CP & Lam JK-W (2010) Feasibility study of OBIGGS for water contamination control in aircraft fuel tanks. In: 10th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations (ATIO) Conference, 2010, Fort Worth, TX, 13-15 September 2010.
- Monterzino GAI & Lawson CP (2010) A Methodology For Low-Cost, Rapid-Implementation Solutions For Airframe Systems Of UAV Prototypes. In: 10th AIAA aviation technology, integration, and operations conference (ATIO 2010), Fort Worth, TX, 13 September 2010.
- Fielding JP, Lawson CP & Pires RM (2010) Development of the Demon Technology Demonstrator UAV. In: 27th Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, Nice, 19 September 2010.
- Fielding JP, Lawson CP, Pires R & Yarf-Abbasi A (2009) Further Development of Eclipse & Demon Demonstrator UAVs.
- Yarf-Abbasi A, Clarke A, Lawson CP & Fielding JP (2008) Design and Development of the Eclipse and Demon Demonstrator UAVs. In: 26th Congress of International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, 2008, Anchorage, 14 September 2008.
- Lawson CP & Pointon J (2008) Thermal Management of Electromechanical Actuation On An All-Electric Aircraft. In: 26th Congress of International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, 2008, Anchorage, 14 September 2008.
- Lawson CP & Lim KM (2008) The State-Of-The-Art and The Future Of Water Management Within Fuel Tanks. In: 26th Congress of International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, 2008, Anchorage, 14 September 2008.
- Lawson & CP (2006) Electrically Powered Ice Protection Systems for MALE UAVs - Requirements and Integration Challenges. In: 25th Congress of International Council of Aeronautical Sciences, Hamburg, 3 September 2006.
- Lawson C & Ivey P (2004) The measurement of turbomachinery blade vibration through tip timing with capacitance tip clearance probes. In: ASME Turbo Expo 2004: Power for Land, Sea, and Air (GT2004), Vienna, 14-17 July 2004.
- Lawson C & Ivey P (2003) Compressor Blade Tip Timing Using Capacitance Tip Clearance Probes. In: ASME Turbo Expo 2003 (GT2003), Atlanta, Georgia, 16-19 June 2003.
- Coldrick S, Lawson CP, Ivey PC & Lockwood C (2002) A decision framework for R & D project selection. In: IEEE International Engineering Management Conference, Cambridge, 18-20 August 2002.
- Lawson CP & Ivey PC (2002) The use of commercially available capacitance tip-clearance probes for tip-timing of aero-engine compressor blades. In: 38th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, 2002, Indianapolis, Indiana, 7-10 July 2002.
- Ivey PC, Grant KR & Lawson CP (2002) Tip timing techniques for turbomachinery HCF condition monitoring. In: 16th Symposium on Measuring Techniques in Transonic and Supersonic Flow in Cascades and Turbomachines, 2002, Cambridge, 23-24 September 2002.
Books
- Lawson CP (2011) Aircraft Environmental Control Systems. In: Encyclopaedia of Aerospace Engineering, Wiley.
- Lawson CP & Seresinhe R Impact of Airframe Systems on Green Airliner Operation. In: Encyclopaedia of Aerospace Engineering, Wiley, p. 1-12.
