By: Ashlynn Rutherford
Texas A&M Aerospace Engineer Honored with Outstanding Inventor Award
Texas A&M continues to lead in transformative research and real-world innovation. Dr. Moble Benedict, associate professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering, was awarded the 2025 Outstanding Inventor Award from the State Bar of Texas (SBOT). This prestigious honor was presented during SBOT’s annual meeting in San Antonio and celebrates Texas inventors whose work has made a lasting impact across industries.
Recognizing Excellence in Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Dr. Benedict is widely recognized for his contributions to vertical flight, autonomous systems, and advanced air mobility technologies. Since joining Texas A&M in 2014, his research has led to 13 U.S. patents and the development of numerous flight-tested prototypes that span applications in aerospace, defense, renewable energy, and robotics.
Among his most notable accomplishments is the world’s first flight-tested cycloidal rotor aircraft—a breakthrough in vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capabilities that solves century-old engineering challenges. He has also developed a gun-launched drone for military use, an ultra-quiet personal air vehicle (PAV) that placed among the top global competitors in the Boeing GoFly Prize, and a samara-seed-inspired payload delivery system that flew aboard the crew capsule of a well-known rocket company.
Through his startup, Harmony Aeronautics, Dr. Benedict is advancing the next generation of compact, quiet, electric air vehicles for both military and civilian use. The company has raised over $1.3 million in Air Force Small Business Technology Transfer grants and investments and is actively pursuing larger Department of Defense opportunities to scale its technologies.
Shaping the Future of Flight
Dr. Benedict’s work embodies the Texas A&M mission of research-driven impact. His inventions have received coverage from major outlets such as CNN, Popular Mechanics, Aerospace America, and the New York Times, and his collaborations have secured over $12 million in sponsored research funding.
Congratulations to Dr. Moble Benedict on this outstanding recognition. His continued leadership and innovation strengthen The Texas A&M University System’s legacy as a national and global hub for breakthrough technologies.
Read more about Dr. Benedict’s early work in advanced air mobility and innovation from the Texas A&M Innovation Newsroom.
