Shaping technological innovation
As an industrial architect and systems integrator, you have to know how to develop and apply state-of-the-art technologies. Dassault Aviation offers this rare skill, making it a pivotal player in ensuring the strategic autonomy of France and Europe for both civil and military applications.
Substantial investments
Ongoing Rafale upgrades for the F4 standard or export versions, the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), development of the Falcon 6X and Future Falcon, modernization of the ATL2, next- generation maritime surveillance and electronic warfare aircraft, drones… all of these challenges count on our ability to innovate, reflected in new development contracts and a substantial investment in R&D.
The way we manage innovation is also changing. Through the InnovLab approach, we formalize and federate research and innovation projects. At the same time, we maintain our focus on fostering relations with today’s dynamic startup ecosystem.
Civil aviation research in France
We are a member of France’s civil aviation research council, Corac (Conseil pour la recherche en aéronautique civile), with contributions spanning the entire sector: a composite wing demonstrator, modular avionics extended to business aircraft, tomorrow’s cockpit functions and aircraft systems, more electric aircraft, and production processes for the Factory of the Future.
European innovations
Dassault Aviation has been involved in the European research programs Clean Sky 1 and 2 since 2008. Along with about 20 major partners from seven European countries, we are aiming for a nearly 50% reduction in aircraft fuel consumption, emissions and noise. This work has led to an extended laminar wing aircraft demonstrator called BLADE (Breakthrough Laminar Aircraft Demonstrator in Europe), along with the development of manufacturing technologies needed for volume production. We have been participating in BLADE flight tests and data analysis since 2015, as well as building a demonstrator for production of the tail plane that would meet laminar aerodynamics criteria. We are also working on ways of improving airport and passenger environments, including studies on controlling internal and external noise, and saving weight through load control methodologies.
Within the scope of SESAR, a joint undertaking to improve European air traffic management, we helped develop the FalconEye system, which will support the increased and safe use of airports, even under bad weather conditions, without having to add new ground infrastructures.
Artificial intelligence for tomorrow’s air systems
As part of the Man-Machine Teaming (MMT) program, French defense procurement agency DGA chose Dassault Aviation and Thales to lead the development of an ecosystem dedicated to the integration of innovative artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for military aviation.