Biomimicry

Biomimicry – or biologically inspired engineering – is the study and imitation of nature’s best-kept secrets to help solve human challenges. Today, nature is providing Airbus with invaluable insight – from the flight secrets of birds to the movement of sharks – on how to make aircraft lighter and more fuel efficient.

28 February 2020 The new digital engineering revolution receives a kick-start

Bird of Prey

This theoretical design is a hybrid-electric, turbo-propeller aircraft for regional air transportation. It mimics the eagle’s wing and tail structure, and features individually controlled feathers that provide active flight control.

DragonFly

Airbus UpNext DragonFly is a demonstrator that is exploring new pilot assistance technologies to further enhance flight safety and aircraft operational efficiency. The technologies being designed, developed and tested enable an aircraft to identify features in the landscape so that it can “see” and safely manoeuvre within its surroundings, these include and are to be applied to automated emergency operations (diversion) in cruise as well as automatic landing whatever the weather conditions and on ground taxi assistance.

fello'fly

Exploring the possibilities of wake energy retrieval

This demonstrator project aims to prove the viability of “wake-energy retrieval” – a “V-shaped” flight technique used by migrating geese when flying across long distances – for commercial aircraft. This collaborative activity could produce fuel savings of between 5-10% per fello’fly trip.

A340 Laminar Flow BLADE Demonstrator First Flight - In Flight

Wings

Aerodynamic wing design optimises aircraft performance

A wing’s aerodynamic properties are central to aircraft efficiency. Airbus experts constantly examine new ideas and technologies that take their inspiration from nature, helping to further optimise wing design for the aircraft of tomorrow.

Discover our future wing projects

Latest news

Airbus Upnext eXtra Performance Wing demonstrator First Flight

Innovation

08 November 2023

eXtra Performance Wing demonstrator takes off

After looking at how wings work and how Airbus makes them, the third episode of our Wing Series zeroes in on an Airbus technology demonstrator that’s already lined up on the runway: the eXtra Performance Wing. Flying for the first time in November 2023, the demonstrator aims to establish the baseline metrics that the innovative prototype wings will eventually be measured against when they are tested in flight in 2025.

Innovation

04 July 2023

New technology hub to accelerate next generation Airbus wings

Airbus is investing further in its UK innovation capabilities, with the opening of a new Wing Technology Development Centre (WTDC) at its Filton site today.

Innovation

12 January 2023

Could the humble dragonfly help pilots during flight?

The Airbus UpNext DragonFly demonstrator takes inspiration from the incredible vision and intelligent flight capabilities of the dragonfly. DragonFly has now entered the final three months of its testing phase, which will put its flightpath capability, automated landing technology, and pilot assistance technology through its paces.