The School of Instrumentation and Optoelectronic Engineering at Beihang University can trace its origins back to the Aircraft Equipment Research Office established at the inception of Beihang University in 1952. In 1958, in response to the urgent need for inertial guidance for the "two bombs and one satellite " project, Mr. Qian Xuesen proposed the establishment of the " Aviation Gyro and Inertial Navigation" research laboratory. The founder of inertial technology in China, Mr. Lin Shier, established this laboratory, which later evolved into the discipline of Aviation Gyro and Inertial Navigation. In 1981, the discipline was granted the first national doctoral program in the country. In 1988, it was approved as one of the first national key disciplines. In 1997, the discipline was renamed "Precision Instruments and machinery."

In 2003, in order to better serve the nation's significant strategic needs and cultivate more outstanding talents, following the university's plan to establish colleges based on primary disciplines, the School of Instrumentation and Opto-electronics Engineering was officially formed. It was a merger of the Measurement & Control and Information Technology Department from the School of Automation, the Aerospace Navigation and Control Department from the School of Astronautics, and the Institute of Optoelectronics Technology from the School of Astronautics. The School comprises five departments, one institute, one research center and one teaching center, namely the Department of Measurement & Control and Information Technology, the Department of Precision Instrumentation, Navigation & Control, the Department of Optoelectronic Engineering, the Department of Remote Sensing Science and Technology, the Department of Intelligent Perception Engineering, the Institute of Optoelectronics Technology, the Institute of Large-scale Scientific Facility and Centre for Zero Magnetic Field Science, and the Teaching & Experiment Center.

The School currently holds two national first-level key disciplines for Ph.D. programs: Instrument Science and Technology and Optical Engineering. The discipline of "Instrument Science and Technology" was recognized as one of the first national first-level key disciplines in 2007. In 2012, it was designated as a key discipline by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Notably, in the 2012 third-round evaluation of disciplines by the Ministry of Education, it ranked first nationwide. In 2016, it received an A⁺ rating in the fourth-round discipline evaluation. In 2017, it was selected as a discipline for the "Double First-Class" initiative. Currently, it encompasses national key secondary disciplines including Precision Instruments and Machinery, Testing Measurement Technology and Instrumentation, as well as Remote Sensing Science and Technology. The discipline of "Optical Engineering" was approved as a first-level discipline for a Ph.D. degree in 2005. In 2008, it became a first-level key discipline in Beijing. In the 2016 fourth-round discipline evaluation, it received a B⁺ rating and became part of the "Double First-Class" initiative within the Instrument Science and Technology discipline group.

Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, the School fully implements the Party's educational policies, upholds and strengthens the Party's overall leadership, and places moral education at the core. With ideological and belief education as a fundamental principle, the School centers its efforts on cultivating and practicing the core socialist values. It places great emphasis on establishing a comprehensive and well-rounded educational system and mechanism for all members throughout the entire educational process. Rooted in the principles of "building character and nurturing individuals," the School inherits the red genes of "serving the country in aerospace" and upholds “the eternal spirit of gyroscopes”. It actively practices the values of "patriotism and dedication, daring to be a pioneer," demonstrating a commitment to fostering a sense of social responsibility. By leveraging the ideological influence of Party building work, the School engages in meticulous planning, strengthens its foundation, ensures unity between the Party and the government, and consolidates collective strength. It is comprehensively driving forward to become a world-class institution with top-tier disciplines, advancing towards excellence in both education and research.

The fundamental mission of the school is always centered on the goal of building character and nurturing individuals. In the talent cultivation process, the school emphasizes the integration of a broad spectrum with distinctive characteristics. There are five majors: Measurement & Control Technology and Instruments, Detection & Navigation and Control Technology, Optoelectronic Information Science and Engineering, Remote Sensing Science and Technology, and Intelligent Perception Engineering. Among these, Measurement & Control Technology and Instruments is recognized as a national first-class program, a characteristic program by the Ministry of Education, an outstanding engineering pilot program, and a key program in national defense. The Detection & Navigation and Control Technolog program is a national first-class program and a key program by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Remote Sensing Science and Technology is a national first-class program, recognized as a key program by both the Ministry of Education and national defense. Opto-electronic Information Science and Engineering is a first-class program in Beijing. The School currently offers one national excellent course, three municipal excellent courses, one excellent video open course by the Ministry of Education, and one video resource sharing course by the Ministry of Education. It has two distinguished teaching professors and has established the National Virtual Simulation Experimental Teaching Center for "Aeronautical Science and Technology," the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Experimental Demonstration Teaching Center for "Instrument Optoelectronics and Reliability," and “the Beihang University – China Air-to-Air Missile Research Institute” Off-campus Talent Training Base. With a complete innovative talent cultivation system and excellent conditions, the School has nurtured a large number of high-level innovative talents in the field of aerospace instrumentation and optoelectronics. Some have already grown into industry leaders and influential figures.

The School boasts a top-notch faculty. Currently, there are 233 staff members, including 174 full-time faculty members. Among them: 3 are academicians, 14 have been recognized as national-level talents, 15 are national-level young talents, 2 have been honored with the title of Renowned Teachers. The School is home to several prestigious research groups and teams, including the "Advanced Inertial Instrument and System Technology" National Natural Science Foundation Innovative Research Group, the "Precision Opto-mechatronics Integration Technology" Ministry of Education Innovation Team, the "Advanced Inertial Instrument and Navigation System Technology" Ministry of Education Innovation Team, the "Advanced Sensing Technology in Aerospace" Ministry of Education Innovation Team, the "Advanced Inertial Instrument and Navigation System Technology" Ministry of Science and Technology Key Area Innovation Team, the "Optoelectronic Technology" Blue Sky Innovation Team, and the "New Imaging Detection Technology and System" Blue Sky Innovation Team.

The School possesses state-of-the-art base platforms, including national, provincial, and ministerial-level key laboratories and facilities. Currently, these include:

· The "Inertial Technology" National Defense Science and Technology Key Laboratory.

· The "Precision Opto-mechatronics Integration" Ministry of Education Key Laboratory.

· The "New Inertial Instrument and Navigation System Technology" National Defense Key Discipline Laboratory.

· The "Quantum Sensing Technology" Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

· The Joint Laboratory for "Sino-British (NLAA-RAL) Space Science and Technology" under the Defense Science and Technology Bureau.

· The "Sino-British (NLAA-RAL) Space Science and Technology" Ministry of Education International Cooperation Joint Laboratory.

· The Beijing Engineering Research Center for "High-Speed Maglev Motor Technology and Applications."

· The Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for "Sino-British Quantum Sensing."

Furthermore, the School is currently in the process of constructing the "Extremely Weak Magnetic Field Major Science and Technology Infrastructure Research Institute." Once completed, it will be the world's only and most advanced "zero-magnetic" space, providing an environment and measurement means for extreme weak magnetic fields. This facility will lead advancements in ultra-sensitive measurements of extremely weak magnetic fields, high-precision atomic gyroscopes for inertial measurements, and devices for magnetic imaging of the heart and brain.

The School consistently focuses on aerospace and has made significant contributions by undertaking major projects. Centered around “four orientations”, the school has successively led two major projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China for Significant Scientific Instruments and three major projects under the Ministry of Science and Technology for significant scientific research instruments. These projects cover areas such as advanced inertial devices and systems, precision opto-mechatronic testing, spacecraft attitude measurement and control, and advanced sensing technology, resulting in a series of major achievements. Since 2006, the School has been the principal investigator for 15 national-level scientific and technological achievements, earning a substantial number of national-level science and technology awards. Notably, in 2007 and 2008, the School was consecutively awarded the National Technology Invention First Prize.

The School maintains close international cooperation, fostering collaborative initiatives and establishing several key international partnerships. Notable collaborations and initiatives include:

· China-UK Joint Laboratory for Space Science and Technology (The first international cooperation laboratory in China's aerospace technology)

· National International Joint Research Center for Space Science and Technology (Funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology)

· China-UK Joint Laboratory for International Cooperation in Space Science and Technology ( Supported by the Ministry of Education).

· Innovation and Intelligence Base for Advanced Sensing and Intelligent Control ("111" Project)

The School has successfully attracted renowned experts from the field of space science, including Dr. John Zarnecki, Vice President of the Royal Astronomical Society, who serves as a Thousand Talents Program Professor. The honorary professorship has also been conferred upon Dr. Richard Holdaway, former Director of the Space Science Department at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and Professor Hugh McCann, former Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh. The School has appointed Professor Roger L. Davies, Head of the Department of Physics at the University of Oxford, as a consultant professor. The School has established stable cooperative relationships with experts from renowned international institutions in countries such as the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Singapore, Australia, and South Korea, and conducts long-term joint degree programs with Politecnico di Milano in Italy. It regularly organizes summer camps in the UK for outstanding undergraduate students. The School has hosted various important international academic conferences, including IEEE conferences. The China-UK Space Science and Technology Cooperation Seminars have been successfully held for fourteen sessions. This extensive and in-depth international exchange and collaboration not only contribute to the rapid development of the School but also enhance its internationalization, thereby elevating its capabilities to serve the socio-economic needs and increasing its competitiveness on the global stage.

In the future, the School of Instrumentation and Opto-electronics Engineering will continue to strengthen the advantages of the college and disciplines, cultivate top-notch talents, make outstanding contributions, seize opportunities, meet challenges, and actively stride towards the goal of building a world-class institution.