John Gillespie

North Carolina State University

John Gillespie is a second-semester master's student studying aerospace engineering at NC State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. As a student, he works as a graduate research assistant in the Rotorcraft Aerodynamics and Renewable Energy (RARE) lab under Dr. Darius Carter. In his studies and research, his focus is on experimental rotor aerodynamics, rotorcraft dynamics, urban air mobility, advanced air mobility, and airspace safety. He recently presented at AIAA SciTech in January 2025 where he explained his experiments and findings regarding how a rotor performs in urban airspace with the presence of wind gusts. The results were the start of a research project looking to capture and explain rotorcraft dynamics in large cities to create safer airspaces for helicopters, eVTOLs, small unmanned aerial vehicles, and delivery drones. He believes that these vehicles will soon be filling the skies and that it is of the utmost importance to ensure the safety of the citizens, pilots, aircraft, and buildings.