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
Our innovation activities are fueled by research contracts and substantial self-financed investments. We are working on the ongoing development of the Rafale (F4 and export standards), as well as on the development of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), the Falcon 6X, the Future Falcon, the Falcon 8X Archange strategic intelligence aircraft and the Falcon 2000 Albatros for maritime surveillance, not to mention the Eurodrone and the nEUROn UCAV.
Integrating technological breakthroughs
In order to achieve the right balance between long term technological developments and short-cycle innovations, we are working on architectures capable of efficiently integrating developments and breakthroughs, while meeting the highest level of security requirements. With our InnovLab approach, we coordinate and formalize our proofs of concept for rapid application. We are particularly focused on our relationships with today’s dynamic startup ecosystem.
Meeting environmental challenges
We have always been driven by the need for fuel-efficient, high-performance aircraft, and we are working on solutions to reduce air transport emissions. We are involved in research programs that seek to achieve technological and operational breakthroughs from an environmental point of view.
Civil aviation research in France
As part of the France’s civil aviation research council, Corac, we are involved in work on a composite wing demonstrator, as well as on tomorrow’s airborne systems and cockpits, more electric aircraft, not to mention production processes for the factory of the future.
European innovations
As part of the Clean Sky 1 and Clean Sky 2 research programs, we have been working since 2008 with some twenty major partners in seven European countries to address environmental issues from a variety of angles. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions goes hand in hand with lowering fuel consumption.
Our work is thus focused on reducing drag (laminar aerodynamics research) and mass (load control methods). Optimizing the production cycle involves research into eco-design, new materials, as well as maintenance and recycling technologies for aircraft. Our work on noise reduction and the development of new acoustic barriers enables us to achieve enhanced noise management.
Sesar a joint undertaking to improve European air traffic management, helped us with our development of 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. We are also working towards a system that offers flight paths designed to reduce emissions.
Airborne artificial intelligence
In March 2018, the French defense procurement agency (DGA) tasked Dassault Aviation and Thales with developing an ecosystem dedicated to the integration of innovative artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for military aviation: the Man-Machine Teaming (MMT) upstream program. By the end of 2018, 19 projects had already begun, involving 16 companies, eight startups and four laboratories throughout France. A second batch of projects was selected in April 2019.