20 Coolest & the Most Useful Gifts for any Aerospace Engineer

Aerospace and aeronautical engineers have a penchant for practical gifts which are uncommon but also useful. We have curated a list of what we think are the most suitable gifts for those who are studying aerospace engineering and those who are professional aerospace engineers. Any of these can be a good graduation gift, a holiday present or a birthday gift. You will be able to get what you are looking for easily which is going to make the aerospace engineer happy. Through your perfect gift, express to them that you are proud of them for being aerospace engineers.

Coolest gifts for any aerospace engineer

Finding great gifts for aerospace and aeronautical engineers is not easy. Therefore we have made a list of best gifts for an aerospace engineer.

If you want to get something which an aerospace engineer needs daily, then that’s a mechanical pencil. Whether they are students or professionals, they are required to draw diagrams precisely. Drawing with a mechanical pencil gives them a chance to make changes if required, using an eraser. Though today aerospace engineers are more prone to using touchscreen devices, one cannot deny the requirement for mechanical pencils even in this digital age. 

This mechanical pencil set has 4 pencils of different sizes – 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 0.9 mm. They can be used for writing and making diagrams. There are 30 HB lead refills for all of them and 4 eraser refills too. The pencils have a non-slip ergonomic design which makes them comfortable for extended use. The set is going to make a very special gift that is going to be the recipient’s new favourite.

Key Features:

• Ergonomic barrel
• Different thicknesses of each pencil

Everyone can use some motivational words now and then to give their morale a boost. Especially if you are looking for a gift for a student who is studying aerospace engineering, this combo pack of 6 magnets will make a great gift. They have to study a lot every day and invest a lot of energy. It is natural to feel bored or down sometimes under immense study pressure. Support them by giving fridge magnets that spread positivity. The magnets will remind them to stay strong and not lose hope. They also tell to make the most of his life and continue being the unique person that he is. Apart from encouraging, these magnets will also lend their kitchen a cool and kitschy look.

Key Features:

• Colourful fridge magnets
• Motivational quotes

This is an invention which we had not thought we would get to see in our lifetime. With the advent of a cloud-connected paper notebook, you can now upload your hand-written notes on the many digital services available online. Once the note has been written on the pages, photos should be clicked on them. When that is being done, there are QR codes and symbols on each page which signal the app to send the digital notes to the pre-set and chosen digital destination. 

One has 9 options to choose from and that is where this smart notebook scores better than any other cloud-connected notebook. Apart from emails, the options are Dropbox, Evernote, OneNote and Google Drive and others. Sharing notes with the boss or a colleague can be done much more easily for the aerospace engineer who gets this useful gift. This is a 32-paged environmentally-friendly notebook because after uploading the notes, one can simply wipe the page with a damp cloth and use them again. 

Key Features:

• Naming and searching for notes made easy
• Free app for Android and iOS users
• Paper-wastage reduced

Let aerospace engineers express their love for space subtly with a trash bin that looks like a rocket. They can keep it in their kitchen but if they want to show it off, they can keep it in their living room or bedroom. It will look great beside their workstation too. This cute and creative bin has a very silent open and close system that’s hardly going to make any noise. There are 3 pleasant colours to choose from. The body of the barrel-shaped bin is thick and hardened. 

It has a good load-bearing capacity and will not lose its shape easily. The shake lid design covers the garbage and hides them from being visible. As the bin can be detached into two parts, the bin can be cleaned easily. The flap design of this rocket-shaped bin is very convenient to keep a room neat and clean.

Key Features:

• Indoor bin
• Flap opening
• Detachable

If you think that a book is going to be one of the best gifts for aerospace engineers but are unsure about which one to give, we have listed the best one which they can read for pleasure. Engineers continuously have to read journals, documents and books that are technical. So what they do not need as a gift is a textbook. They would love to receive a book which will help them to escape from that cycle and make their mind relaxed yet inspire them. 

Elon Musk is the founder of SpaceX and this is his biography. He is an engineering hero and his engaging autobiography had become a bestseller as soon as it was released. You must be thinking that this book must be boring but it is far from it. The book captures Elon Musk’s roller-coaster life that covers his exemplary works, the huge failures even he had to face and his exceptional thinking capability. It will make any engineer take a deeper interest in his work.

Key Features:

• Detailed biography
• Gives insight into his vision
• Bestselling book

Engineers somehow struggle with room decoration ideas. Why don’t you help them by giving them beautiful prints that are also technical? This is a set of 4 outer space patents which have been printed. These are all patents that NASA has acquired for their space technologies. The posters are an ideal gift for aerospace engineers as all the blueprints have been printed giving them a very vintage look. The spaceship designs look very retro and each poster carries the names of the inventors along with their inventions. These wall arts can decorate any bedroom or study beautifully and will be a thing of pride for the recipient of your gift. Only the posters will be delivered and there won’t be any frames. They will be delivered in a protective sleeve.

Key Features:

• 4 different posters
• Vintage wall art
• Premium quality photo paper

A stirring engine is a heat engine which converts heat energy to mechanical work. It operates on the cyclic compression and expansion of gas at varying temperatures. Many aerospace nerds are fans of this engine. NASA and others have tried to use it differently but till now somehow there has not been much utilisation of it. This electric power generator is an educational toy that both engineering students and aerospace engineers would love to display on their desks. 

It comes in a gift package which makes it ready to be gifted anytime. The base made of wood has not been painted and one can paint it with the colour of their choice. For this toy to operate, one has to pour alcohol (or any fuel) into the burner and light it up. After about 20 seconds, the wheel has to be pushed gently.

Key Features:

• Can run approx. 8 hours at once
• LED installed
• Light working on electricity created by the engine

Help them relax under the stars and moonlight while they are stretching out on their bed with this night lamp. It works on both batteries and USB connections. The bulb can project the starry night on walls of up to 3 meters away. There are multiple colour options one can choose to keep anyone on or let it rotate with multiple colours. An aerospace fan can wonder about the space lying under the starry night. The lamp makes no noise even while rotating. The cover of the lamp is removable, so when the recipient is done thinking and wondering and ready to doze off to sleep, they just have to place the cover on it to make the projector lamp become dim and be like an almost regular night lamp.

Key Features:

• 360-degree projection
• Multiple light colours
• 3 light modes

It is a blue bow tie made 100% using silk. The fun bow tie can be worn by an aerospace engineer to a fun party or maybe a reunion. It will talk about his interests even before he talks about them. The bow tie can be a great conversation starter as well. It has the constellation printed on it with a unique connect-the-dots style. The wearer of this necktie is going to stand out among the crowd easily. The self-tying bow tie is packed in a classy branded tin case which makes it gift-ready. The chic tie has been made in New York City and the design is wearable but not an ordinary one.

Key Features:

• Expressive tie
• Pure silk
• Hand-finished

Thinking of the best gifts for aerospace engineers? This is a planetarium projector which will help to bring the night sky indoors. It is another gift idea which will bring an array of stars into the bedroom of an aerospace engineer. He can spend some time star gazing before going off to sleep. As we get to see the stars of the northern hemisphere in the sky, the planetarium will show the same using the two interchangeable projection discs. The projection is almost a replica of the real sky with almost 60,000 stars. There is also a shooting star function which would make the whole experience quite mystical. There is also a timer so that the recipient can set the time when the machine will switch off automatically.

Key Features:

• 3-watt LED bulb
• Adjustable focus and projection angle
• Timer 

Any aerospace engineering student would love to keep this atlas on their bookshelf. This edition has updated maps, exceptional photographs and illustrations to show the solar system and the universe and also beyond. For people who love anything to do with space, this is an ideal book. The introduction to this edition has been written by Buzz Aldrin. The atlas is capable enough for giving anyone a tour of all the planets, the Milky Way, other galaxies and beyond with the help of mind-blowing images, accurate maps and detailed scientific information. The explanations have been done by well-known scientific writer and physicist James Trefil. He has talked about all the planets, the moons, important asteroids etc. He explains the basics of astrophysics lucidly.

Key Features:

• Amazing photographs
• Updated maps
• Clear explanation

Every stone in this bracelet represents one of the planets and also the sun as it is aligned in the universe. It is believed that these are natural crystal stones which have healing and calming effects. It will help the wearer to relax. Thus this gift will be a good mixture of science and belief. Natural crystals like Jasper to represent Mercury and Dragon Agate to represent Uranus has been used. There is also a planet meaning card which is aimed at teaching about the solar system. The bracelet comes in a jewellery pouch which is a great thing when you are looking towards giving it as a gift.

Key Features:

• Adjustable bracelet
• Strong bracelet
• Healing

An Aerospace engineer’s job is quite hard so the one for whom you are buying a gift might like to relax and have a chill time on weekends by drinking some of his favourite whiskey with his partner or friends or maybe just alone. It is a personal planetarium for the whiskey lover. The large wooden base is shaped like a rocket. The detailed decanter is hand-blown and holds 750ml of whiskey. There are also 2 elegant glasses in the set which stand on either side of the decanter. The rocket inside the decanter and the way the decanter is placed make this limited edition decanter an extraordinary one. This one is certainly one of the remarkable gifts for aeronautical engineers.

Key Features:

• Decanter with planets and their names
• Limited edition
• Rocket designed inside the decanter

The aerospace engineering student or graduate who is going to receive a telescope as a gift is going to be absolute. He would have a new past-time activity where he can gaze at the night sky from his window or balcony. Though with all the different accessories, the telescope is easy to assemble and it is not heavy. The tripod is quite stable, perfect for this telescope and the legs of the tripod are extendable. Common people might get impatient while setting it up correctly by following all the instructions but for a space geek, it will be an enjoyable game. One can also use it for watching birds and landscapes, as a higher-end model of a binocular.

Key Features:

• Gives a clear view of the moon
• Comes with a powerful Barlow lens
• Best for both celestial and terrestrial viewing

Space enthusiasts are fans of Star Wars, well most of them are. This is the best gift for such people. The brand which manufactures the toy is an award-winning brand and this one is an officially licensed Disney product, so you need not worry about the quality.

Key Features:

• 9cm figure
• Bobblehead
• Window-display box

This T-shirt is one of the best gifts for aerospace engineers. The t-shirt looks bright with the graphic printing on it which shows how crazy and smart they can be. They have a sharp brain which runs faster than most of us. Which is why they are the ones who are studying space! A simple but funny gift like this will make them happy and also make them laugh. It is a simple T-shirt but a smart one. It is casual wear that they can wear whenever they want. As a gift too, you can give it on any occasion. High-quality inks have been used in traditionally printing these t-shirts.

Key Features:

• Pre-shrunk cotton t-shirt
• Hand silkscreened
• Witty print

It feels good to end a busy workday by drinking a mug of hot tea or coffee from our favourite mug. Make these relaxing times an even more enjoyable affair for aerospace engineers by giving them a mug that was designed specifically for them. They have their superpower and that is made evident by the mug. This mug can easily be the perfect gift for them. The simple gift will express how proud you are of them. Whatever the occasion, this mug is going to surprise them. They can keep it in their study or at the workplace too.

Key Features:

• Dishwasher and microwave safe
• Glossy finish
• Easy to wash

It is a misconception that these engineers or scientists like to spend their time in offices and labs. They are only absorbed in making their projects because it does take a lot of effort to finish an engineering project successfully. But apart from their enthusiasm for space, they are regular people like any of us who like to have a good time too. With these sunglasses, encourage the aerospace engineer in your life to go out on a bright sunny day, perhaps on a weekend to unwind and have fun.

Key Features:

• Protection from UV rays
• Unisex design
• Adjustable nose pads

We tend to think that engineers are prodigies who are very serious people and quite oddballs. They are misunderstood too. If you are looking for gifts that are non-serious but still reflect their love for space, then give them this set of 4 pairs of socks. These socks are funky and comfortable. Socks are practical gift items and this set of Navy Spacemen-themed socks are the perfect gifts for young professionals and engineering students.

Key Features:

• Vibrant socks
• Cotton, polyester and cotton socks
• Displays interest or passion

For an aviation nerd, this is a great game. It is a flight simulator game which can be played on an android device. The commercial plane that can be seen in the game has excellent detailing. The game offers a score of fun and challenging flying missions. As it is a 3D simulation game, the player gets a 3D view of the city the plane is flying through. In the game, the player is the pilot flying the commercial jet plane. They have to fly across the city to reach the correct airports by following the correct way-points. One has to go through all the waypoints and land safely within the stipulated time to finish a level. The realistic graphics are going to make the game a lot more exciting and challenging.

Key Features:

• Realistic graphics
• 20 challenges
• Time-bound

We hope we have been able to provide you with the right amount of inspiration for buying gifts for aeronautical engineers. The best gifts that we could find for them have been listed here. These are all interesting and cool gift ideas which you can give to them and these are also gifts which they truly deserve.