NANNY

DLR is making an important contribution to high-performance and efficient aviation by improving the simulation methods for design and verification and thus optimising the overall design. In particular, the prediction of rotor-structure coupling phenomena early in the design and before prototype production is important for the efficiency of the overall design in order to avoid subsequent changes. Such phenomena can lead to high vibration input, structural fatigue or even instability and failure. By linking complex structural dynamic and aerodynamic models, the accuracy of predictions can be improved and the helicopter can be better designed at the design stage. Any subsequent changes as countermeasures for problems that arise would have a negative impact on the development time and, if additional damping elements were required, also on the weight and therefore on the performance, efficiency and costs of the helicopter as a whole.

The long-term research topic is the complete digitalisation of the helicopter development process. The aeromechanical design process must be fully integrated into the design of the overall helicopter. Further increases in performance and cost reductions can be achieved through holistic optimisation of the overall helicopter system, including all relevant operating conditions. Finally, digital testing and, if necessary, simulation-based certification of helicopters and eVTOLs will significantly reduce the technical and economic development risk as well as the development time.