Airbus UpNext
Flying future technologies today
Pioneering the future of flight
INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM
Airbus UpNext focuses on flying future technologies at speeds well beyond what seems feasible today. This Airbus subsidiary is actively shaping the future of the aerospace industry.
Mission
Airbus UpNext’s demonstrators evaluate, mature and validate concepts, products and services that showcase potential radical technological breakthroughs. The Airbus subsidiary has three flagships locations in France, Germany and Spain, each contributing to rapidly develop and test future technologies in scaled applications.
Its mission is:
- To identify disruptive aerospace trends and technology concepts from both inside and external to Airbus, and evaluate them as potential viable products.
- To further accelerate traditional research cycles, developing proof of concepts and completing both ground and flight testing with scale and speed. Each demonstrator is tasked with delivering critical learning within a two to three year time frame, engaging our people and partners with purpose.
- To develop real-world applications for emerging aerospace technologies, thereby driving maturation and value.
Current projects
Cryoprop
Cryoprop is a new technological demonstrator to accelerate the maturation of superconducting technologies for use in the electric propulsion systems of a future hydrogen-powered aircraft.
eXtra Performance Wing
This demonstrator project is focused on accelerating and validating technologies that will improve and optimise wing aerodynamics and performance for any future aircraft. Its applications would be compatible with any propulsion solution and aircraft configuration, and would reduce CO₂ emissions, contributing to Airbus’ decarbonisation roadmap.
HyPower
Airbus UpNext’s HyPower demonstrator for non-propulsive energy uses a hydrogen fuel cell to power an aircraft’s Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). HyPower benefits from the strong support of the Spanish government and its adoption will help reduce aircraft CO2, NOx and noise emissions.
Optimate
Current projects
This demonstrator is testing new technologies to support automatic taxiing and enhance pilot assistance at airports. The three-year research project combines a wide range of cutting-edge technologies and is being tested onboard an innovative electric truck, before performing a fully automated gate-to-gate mission on an A350 flight test aircraft.
Success stories
Blue Condor
This demonstrator is taking a modified glider up to 33,000 feet to analyse hydrogen combustion’s impact on contrail properties.
fello'fly
This flight demonstrator project proves the technical, operational and economic viability of wake-energy retrieval for commercial aircraft.
ASCEND
This three-year demonstrator project focuses on testing cryogenic and superconducting technologies to significantly boost the performance of electric- and hybrid-electric propulsion systems in future aircraft.
Auto’Mate
Success stories
This demonstrator develops, adapts and evaluates technologies that enable autonomous air-to-air refuelling in formation flight operations. It consists of in-flight testing of the key technologies - focusing on three technological bricks: accurate relative navigation, in-flight communication, and cooperative control algorithm - to pave the way to a future autonomous air-to-air refuelling product.
Other success stories
VERTEX
This project demonstrates simplified mission preparation and control for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, reducing pilot workload using intuitive devices on the Airbus Helicopters Flightlab.
DragonFly
Airbus UpNext DragonFly was a demonstrator that explored new pilot assistance technologies to further enhance flight safety and aircraft operational efficiency.
The latest in Airbus UpNext
In the spotlight
Airbus and Toshiba to partner on superconductivity research
Airbus UpNext, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Airbus, and Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation (Toshiba), Toshiba Group’s…
Airbus takes superconductivity research for hydrogen-powered aircraft a step further
Airbus UpNext, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Airbus, has launched a new technological demonstrator to accelerate the maturation of…
New pilot assistance technologies take to the road with Airbus' Optimate demonstrator
New pilot assistance technologies take to the road with Airbus' Optimate demonstrator
Meet Optimate, an extra pair of eyes and ears for pilots
Meet the Flying Truck, Airbus’ latest autonomous vehicle. This cockpit on wheels is designed to show how smart automation can …
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Airbus NOVA Newsletter
This is your go-to source for the latest stories on the disruptive technologies and ground-breaking aerospace projects that will transform the way we fly today and tomorrow.
