Dr Vishal Youhanna completed his PhD in Aerospace at Cranfield University, where his research focused on the conceptual design of rotary-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicles for planetary exploration—specifically within the Martian environment. His work explored aerodynamic modelling, structural efficiency, propulsion analysis, and mission-based vehicle design under extreme atmospheric constraints. 

Vishal’s research interests lie at the intersection of conceptual aircraft design, planetary aerial robotics, and sustainable aerospace systems. He is particularly focused on early-stage design methods for rotorcraft and VTOL platforms operating in extreme environments — including low-density planetary atmospheres such as Mars, as well as challenging terrestrial settings like high-altitude, polar, or disaster-prone regions. His work explores structural efficiency, transportability, and mission-specific optimisation in uncrewed aerial systems, with a growing emphasis on interdisciplinary design strategies that integrate engineering principles, systems thinking, and planetary science.

He is part of the design team representing Cranfield in the GoAERO Prize competition, contributing to the development of an autonomy-enabled emergency response flyer. He also continues to publish work on Martian aerial vehicles and is exploring future directions in planetary flight systems and sustainable aerospace design.