Aeronautics

Guiding concepts

The Electric Aircraft
The demand for air transport is on the rise. At the same time, there is an ever-increasing call from society at large to significantly reduce the impact of air transport on the environment and climate.
The Commercial Aircraft
Passenger numbers for global air travel have been rising steadily for many years. The number of passenger kilometres flown worldwide doubles every 15 years.
The Urban Air Mobility
Whether in urban or sparsely populated areas, new and highly automated types of aircraft are set to play an ever-increasing role in global passenger and cargo transport over the coming decades.
The Rescue Helicopter 2030
Future rescue helicopters are expected to be able to reach their destination quickly, safely, quietly and flexibly – around the clock, regardless of weather conditions and over long distances.
The Efficient Air Transport
The EU's vision for air transport, Flightpath 2050, sets out clear requirements. In future, 90 percent of all passenger journeys within Europe should take no more than four hours door to door.
The Virtual Product
At present, the development, testing and production of new aircraft designs is associated with such considerable timing and financial risks that a mere setback could threaten the existence of entire companies.

International networks

National and International Networking

DLR aeronautics research is networked at national, European and global levels. Together with government representatives as well as partners from industry and research, and involving extensive cooperation with trade associations and interest groups, DLR is working to help shape the air transport system of the future. It plays a leading role in many areas of aeronautics research, both nationally and internationally.

Research aircraft fleet

In action worldwide – flying for research

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) operates the largest civilian fleet of research aircraft and helicopters in Europe. These highly-modified aircraft are either themselves the subject of aeronautics research or are used to observe the Earth, the ocean surfaces and the atmosphere. The aircraft are stationed at DLR’s sites in Braunschweig and Oberpfaffenhofen. This facility provides scientific services for DLR flight experiments as well as for other national and international institutions, public authorities and industrial customers.

Dossier

Emission-free flight
The objective has now been set in Germany and Europe, with the aim of achieving climate neutrality in the economy and society. This is how it is worded in the EU's 'Green Deal'. The consequences of climate change also compel us to strive towards climate-neutral air transport, as this sector is responsible for 3.5 percent of global warming.

News / Aeronautics

Infrastructure

Large-scale research facilities
The portfolio at DLR currently comprises some 180 large-scale research facilities at 15 locations, including the polar regions. DLR also makes its large-scale facilities available to partners from industry and academia as part of its cooperative research activities.

Jobs / Aeronautics

Scientific activities / projects

Investigations of the interaction of wind turbines with undisturbed atmospheric flow

Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Oberpfaffenhofen

Publication

Low Cost Monitor

Facts / Aeronautics

78,60,83,52,39

312

Aeronautics – Revenues 2021 (Data in million euro)
78,60,83,52,39

78

Efficient Vehicle research – Revenues 2021 (Data in million euro)
78,60,83,52,39

60

Clean Propulsion research – Revenues 2021 (Data in million euro)
78,60,83,52,39

83

Components and Systems research – Revenues 2021 (Data in million euro)
78,60,83,52,39

52

Air Transportation and Impact research – Revenues 2021 (Data in million euro)
78,60,83,52,39

39

Defense Technology research – Revenues 2021 (Data in million euro)