The In-flight Systems and Technology Airborne Research (ISTAR) aircraft is an in-flight simulator that will support the expansion of scientific knowledge about automated and uncrewed flying and the implementation of more advanced pilot assistance systems. ISTAR will also enable a major leap forward in digitisation for aviation – the aim is to create a digital twin that will accompany the aircraft over its entire lifespan.
An all-rounder for optimised aerodynamics, flight guidance and flight control
Once fully developed, ISTAR will test the flight characteristics of new aircraft designs – both real and virtual, crewed and uncrewed – under real operating conditions. ISTAR’s digital twin will provide a digital description of the actual aircraft, through which conversions, servicing, maintenance and operational aspects will be reproduced and planned. The research aircraft is based at the DLR Flight Experiments facility in Braunschweig and forms part of the largest civil research fleet in Europe with a total of twelve aircraft and helicopters. ISTAR is available for use by other national and European research institutions, as well as aircraft manufacturers and suppliers.
This globally unique platform for researching flight physics, flight control, flight guidance and uncrewed aviation systems is being used to develop new environmentally friendly and efficient aircraft, propulsion systems and assistance systems. ISTAR will advance the development of the technologies required for climate-neutral aviation.
Contact
Volker Speelmann
Head of Research Infrastructures
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Executive Board department for Innovation, Transfer and Research Infrastructure
