Aerospace R&D

Aerospace R&D has been a driving force for innovation pushing major technological advancements that have redefined transportation, led to incredible discoveries, and sheparded in a fourth industrial revolution—digital transformation—which will create exciting opportunities for revolutionary transitions. AIAA can provide thought leadership and be a trusted voice, guiding the larger community through this shift. Interdisciplinary work fostered by advanced collaboration promises to yield breakthroughs in aeronautics and aerospace systems. Digital transformation is driving model-based technological advances such as digital engineering, digital twin, and digital thread, which are expected to accelerate the pace of R&D to deployment of advanced systems significantly. Such innovation can lower overall total lifecycle cost and ultimately improve customer experiences.

Across aeronautics and aerospace, we are information rich, but knowledge poor. We need smarter collaboration between people and their machines and tools to harvest the data. Digital transformation will allow us to capture knowledge, use it in models, and then apply it to new materials. Rapid prototyping and integration will accelerate first-design feasibility. We also need to enable artificial intelligence and machine learning to make our machines smarter. Shifting routine tasks to machines will allow our workforce to focus on tackling the next generation of technology challenges.

Within the Aerospace R&D Domain, we must address significant issues including potential cyberattacks on aerospace systems and building autonomous systems from a moral, ethical, and legal perspective. We also must find ways to accelerate the deployment of technology, with appropriate testing to help ensure success.



  • Insights into the AIAA Domain Approach

    Aerospace America

    The AIAA Domain Leads share their insights on how the Domain approach will help AIAA move the industry forward by addressing key priorities and issues.

AIAA Aerospace R&D Domain Lead Scott Fouse describes why an R&D organization must be responsive, relevant, and revolutionary.

Priority Areas in Aerospace R&D

 Advanced System Engineering Tools and Techniques How do we embrace digital twin concepts being inspired by engineered resilient systems and accelerate adoption of model-based systems engineering (MBSE)? How do we create frameworks to incorporate new technologies into system engineering methodologies, such as human-AI teaming and advanced materials more effectively? And we must leverage new digital techniques to reverse the trend of increasing timelines from first flight to initial operational capability.

 Autonomy / Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning We must safely insert advanced information technologies into aerospace systems and provide smart contingency management capabilities across all aerospace platforms. How can we leverage lessons from the automotive industry to help us address emerging issues, such as increasing congestion in both air and space traffic? We should consider how we adopt a human-centered AI approach.

 Resilient and Assured Systems With increasing levels of autonomous control, how do we ensure that the resulting behaviors satisfy legal, moral, and ethical perspectives? As we create increasingly more complex and adaptive systems, how do we ensure that these systems are as safe, or safer, than previous generations? How do we accelerate lessons learned and incorporate into already deployed systems? As systems become more self-aware, can they adapt their control systems to reflect sensor or mechanical disruptions?

 Advanced Manufacturing and Advanced Materials How do we incorporate multifunctional materials, create lighter systems through the application of new materials and new manufacturing techniques, and accelerate the certification of new materials and new manufacturing processes?

Get Involved in the Aerospace R&D Domain!


Events

  • Sinclair-Comm-College-wiki-thumbnail Dayton Digital Transformation Summit

    8 May - 10 May 2024

    Dayton, Ohio, USA

    The Dayton Digital Transformation Summit is a three-day event on Digital Transformation to educate and align the Dayton Region and interested parties (both locally and nationally) to support the USAF Digital Transformation.

Courses

News

Past Events

Aerospace R&D Playlist

Task Force

The AIAA Autonomous Vehicles and Systems Task Force recommends a national R&D plan for autonomous capability for aeronautics and aerospace. Autonomy will drive new missions and capabilities by improving performance, lowering cost, enhancing just-in-time maintenance, and/or lowering risk for aeronautics systems. We are seeing a global race to integrate autonomous components, especially in AAM systems. Just as the Biden Administration has set a visionary goal for electric cars, autonomous air systems, including AAM aircraft, should soon follow a similar visionary path.

 

AIAA Aerospace R&D Lead
  • Greg-Zacharias-1 Greg Zacharias
    AIAA Aerospace Research and Development Domain Lead; AIAA Senior Member, Pasteur Labs