The engineer behind the ideas.

Loay Elbasyouni is an electrical and computer engineer, aerospace engineering leader, speaker, and Founder & CEO of AstraQua. His work connects power electronics and electric propulsion with NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, rocket-engine electrical systems, and the development of intelligent autonomous machines.

Start with something real.

Across vehicles, aircraft, and aerospace systems, Loay has worked on a recurring challenge: making more capability possible within real limits of energy, mass, and reliability. His engineering path spans electric systems, AeroVironment, Astrodyne TDI, and Blue Origin.

A contribution to a first.

At AeroVironment, Loay served as electrical and power-electronics lead on work contributing to NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter. His involvement ran from 2014 through mid-2018. On April 19, 2021, the aircraft achieved the first powered, controlled flight on another planet. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory led the mission; the achievement belongs to the team.

The next frontier is intelligence.

Loay’s later work included electrical engineering leadership across Blue Origin’s BE-3U, BE-4, and BE-7 engine programs. Today, as Founder & CEO of AstraQua, he is developing a broader vision of efficient, adaptive, collaborative machine intelligence. NASA’s 2025 Phase I SBIR selection identifies AstraQua’s AstraSense predictive health-monitoring research and Loay as principal investigator.

Bring the experience into the room.

Loay has delivered engineering talks and keynotes at NYU Abu Dhabi and participates in conversations about the future of autonomous technology, including GSMA’s Smart Mobility podcast. His perspective connects the excitement of exploration with the practical choices that make engineering work.

Explore talks, press, and speaking topics · Read the supporting sources

Electric aviation, before and beyond Mars.

Loay’s work at AeroVironment included DARPA’s TERN hybrid VTOL development, multiple solar-powered drone projects, and Global Observer. These projects connect his experience in electric mobility, aircraft energy systems, and autonomous flight. His Blue Origin work later included electrical systems for the BE-4 and BE-3U orbital rocket engines and the BE-7 lunar-lander engine.

AstraQua has since announced a $1,274,990 NASA SBIR Phase II contract, dated October 15, 2026, advancing AstraSense for electric and hybrid-electric aircraft.

Beyond the biography.

Explore the press kit with selected photographs and biographies, or read personal notes on learning and building.