Scotland is a country that offers support for ambitious companies working across various aerospace industries. Growth and innovation is promoted and encouraged, with public/private partnerships, financial assistance and cross-sector collaborations all available in Scotland. Scotland leads the way in the following aerospace industries:
Avionics
Avionics involves the design and manufacture of high-tech navigation, communication and monitoring electronics for aircraft. Several high-profile, global companies are working in the avionics industry in Scotland.
Defence
The aerospace and defence industry in Scotland is changing in response to the new threats posed in the 21st Century. Despite the global market being dominated by a relatively small number of large corporations, six of these companies have important facilities based in Scotland.
Manufacturing and design
Aerospace manufacturing and design in Scotland is shifting its business focus to higher-value specialist manufacturing and value-adding services to meet the needs of the aerospace supply chain.
Maintenance, repair and overhaul
Scotland’s aerospace maintenance, repair and overhaul sector is dominated by the world-class MRO hub around Prestwick International Airport and in the west of Scotland. Scotland's share of the MRO market in 2005 was about 4 per cent of the global total and 12 per cent of the European total.
Research and development
Aerospace and defence-related R&D includes electronics, optoelectronics, micro-electronics, vision systems, materials, energy sources and distribution and propulsion. Ground-breaking aerospace research and development takes place across Scotland.
Space
Scotland is a world leader in several technologies vital to the global space industry, to which it makes a surprisingly significant contribution. One such example of the space sector in Scotland is a ground observatory at Dundee University, used by NASA to track spacecraft during their missions.
Unmanned aerial vehicles
Initially pre-programmed vehicles for target practice, unmanned aerial vehicles now fill a wide variety of roles within the military including surveillance, search and rescue, decoy, targeting and communications relay.
Composites
Over 45 companies are presently active in the aerospace composite materials supply chain in Scotland. The term “composites” covers a multitude of products for use within various aerospace industries in Scotland.
Contact us for more information about the extensive range of services we offer companies working within the various Scottish aerospace industries