In the aircraft of tomorrow, more and more electric and electronic systems will replace the current mechanical systems. One reason for this is weight reduction, which lowers the overall fuel consumption. Other reasons include the increased reliability and easier maintenance that follow as a result of installing electrical components and electronics in the aircraft. And the fact that more complex aircraft systems are being networked together needs to be considered too.

Modern airframes, consisting of components such as control surfaces, landing flaps, slats, landing gear, etc., also contain more and more electric components, as the proportion of mechanic and hydraulic/pneumatic components declines. For example, in the future, control surfaces will be activated by electric or electro-hydrostatic actuators instead of by hydraulic actuators. When developing these systems, tests on iron birds (aircraft test benches) are important for realistically running through any conceivable flight situation. dSPACE systems play a central role here: for example, calculating models for real-time flight maneuver simulation.

 

 

 

Tomorrow's aircraft engines face high demands. They have to be quieter, more economically efficient and more environmentally friendly, and also handle the increasing performance requirements. To reach this goal, engine manufacturers need to explore new strategies for many different points. Each engine must pass special tests during development and for approval by aviation authorities to verify that it is completely safe and reliable. These tests cover a wide range of different aspects, such as the influence of cold and heat, continuous operation, vibration and even bird strike.

 

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Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are being introduced in more new application fields, including surveillance and reconnaissance missions in military and civilian missions. One particular challenge is autonomous flight in general airspace that is also occupied by "normal" manned commercial aircraft. To meet this challenge, high-performance environment recognition and intelligent on-board real-time aircraft control software are absolute necessities. dSPACE systems provide valuable services for developing such systems: for intricate tasks such as processing sensor data in real time during actual flight, or testing the on-board systems in virtual laboratory test flights. 

 

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The development of space flight technology is one of the most challenging tasks ever. Aerospace engineers are constantly striving to push the limits of what is technically possible. At the same time, system reliability is their top priority, since an error in space can have fatal consequences because making on-site repairs is hardly possible. The typical applications of dSPACE equipment in the field of space flight are in developing navigation systems, satellite position controls, and propulsion (combustion control, thrust control, vibration damping, vibration control).

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