Safe Systems Engineering

Aviation is currently undergoing a profound transformation: emissions must be drastically reduced, and energy efficiency significantly improved. This calls for the development of innovative aircraft systems that integrate new functions and technologies. Sustainable propulsion systems, advanced electrical architectures, and optimized wing designs are of central importance. In both the civilian and military sectors, there is a strong focus on performance, connectivity, and autonomy.

Both domains are characterized by increasing system complexity, which demands new development approaches, as traditional methodologies are reaching their limits. Our research therefore focuses on model-based systems engineering (MBSE), the integration of digital twins, and the use of AI-supported analysis and optimization techniques. The goal is to enable integrated, agile development of complex systems. Particular emphasis is placed on the early integration of functional, physical, and safety-critical requirements. A coherent digital database ensures traceability, adaptability, and validation of the developed systems.

Modern aircraft are inconceivable without high-performance computing and software systems. Therefore, we also conduct intensive research on innovative avionics as well as modular and secure software architectures. In addition, we develop powerful methods for the effective and rapid detection of faults in complex aircraft systems and demonstrate our technologies on high-performance test rigs.