Convinced that higher education and research are major levers in the transition to a sustainable society, ISAE-SUPAERO is placing environmental issues at the heart of its commitment, and is mobilising its teaching skills and scientific expertise to help invent the low-carbon air transport of tomorrow. AeroMAPS, a unique academic tool, is a major contribution to this effort.
Aimed at all stakeholders in the aviation sector, this tool enables a detailed assessment of the environmental impact of aviation transition scenarios. Users can define the scenarios for which they wish to analyse the impacts by playing on the sector’s transition levers: introduction of new types of aircraft and fleet renewal, use of new fuels (biofuels, hydrogen, etc.), air traffic growth rate, etc. On the basis of the hypotheses chosen, AeroMAPS evaluates the corresponding CO2 emissions, but also the other climatic impacts (notably linked to condensation trails) and the associated consumption of energy resources (biomass, electricity).
AeroMAPS was developed by a team of ISAE-SUPAERO researchers and doctoral students led by Thomas Planès, Scott Delbecq and Antoine Salgas. It is the result of three years of development, and is an enhanced version of the CAST tool, which will be published in open-access in 2021. The AeroMAPS code is published as open source, so that the scientific community can test it and follow and participate in its development. In addition, a simplified graphical interface will be made available to facilitate its basic use.
In parallel with this publication, efforts to enhance AeroMAPS are continuing within the framework of the Institute for Sustainable Aviation (ISA), which brings together seven partners from a wide range of disciplines around ISAE-SUPAERO. Ultimately, the researchers aim to use AeroMAPS to offer a multidisciplinary assessment of aviation transition scenarios for society. The tool is designed to model, with several levels of fidelity, the different components of air transport, the associated impacts and their many interactions. New developments are underway to model the costs of transition (alternative fuels, new aircraft) and integrate the effects of regulatory tools (EU-ETS, CORSIA). Over the coming year, a wide range of disciplines (engineering, environment, economics, regulation, sociology, etc.) will be integrated into the project.
Find out more about AeroMAPS here: https://aeromaps.isae-supaero.fr
The AeroMAPS code is available here: https://github.com/AeroMAPS/AeroMA
ISA: Institute for sustainable aviation
Making the transition that will make aviation compatible with the Paris agreements is a challenge that combines technical, economic and social dimensions. It is not just a challenge for engineers and technicians, but also a societal, economic, financial, legal and geopolitical issue that cannot be resolved by a purely techno-scientific approach.
To meet this immense and exciting challenge, a fruitful dialogue must be established between the physical sciences and the human and social sciences. By founding the Institute for Sustainable Aviation (ISA), an interdisciplinary research structure, ISAE-SUPAERO and its partners intend to give life to this dialogue and strengthen the link between science and society.
Created in Toulouse, the European capital of aeronautics, the ISA brings together eight partner institutions: ISAE-SUPAERO, ENAC, Météo-France, CERFACS, Toulouse School of Economics, TBS Education, Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès and Université Toulouse Capitole.
Its aim is to address the issue of the sustainability of aviation through collaborative research at the interface of the social sciences and humanities, financial and industrial economics, aerospace engineering and flight operations, transport and environmental laws and regulations, energy and atmospheric physics.
Related Content
News
Corentin Lefloch, an engineering student, wins first prize at the USAIRE STUDENT AWARDS for his ideas on the future of aviationSustainability
News
Carbon neutrality: What strategy should ISAE-SUPAERO adopt?Sustainability
News
ISAE-SUPAERO Environmental Engineering Certificate: training engineers in the challenges of environmental and energy transitionsAeronautics
Sustainability
News
ISAE-SUPAERO participates in the Futurs Proches festivalISAE-SUPAERO, in partnership with the University of Toulouse, invites you to join us on Thursday, 3 October for the Futurs Proches Festival, a festival celebrating campuses in transition. Naturalist walks, escape games focusing on disability, presentation of the Aviation Climate Reference Framework, and more. Discover our campus programme!
Sustainability
News
Decarbonised aviation: first successful flight test for the hydrogen-powered Mermoz droneIn January, the first ‘Drone Mermoz’ demonstrator carrying hydrogen gas, developed by ISAE-SUPAERO in partnership with H3 DYNAMICS, successfully completed its first radio-controlled flight on the runway of the Muret model aircraft club in the Toulouse region (31).
Decarbonization
Sustainability
News
Let's make together a durable commitment to new horizonsAeronautics
Horizons
Sustainability
News
ISAE-SUPAERO expands its collaboration with TU Delft on sustainable aviationDuring President Macron's state visit to the Netherlands, five agreements were signed to strengthen collaboration between the two countries in the field of science and technology. Among them, an agreement between TU Delft and France provides for close collaboration between ISAE-SUPAERO and TU Delft in the field of sustainable aviation.
Decarbonization
Partnership
Sustainability
News
Clean Aviation – The European CONCERTO projectEnvironmental issues are central to the strategy of ISAE-SUPAERO's Department of Research and Pedagogical Resources. This commitment is reflected in its participation in CONCERTO (Construction Of Novel CERTification MethOds and Means of Compliance for Disruptive Technologies), one of the European research projects on decarbonisation in aviation.
Decarbonization
Sustainability
News
The Institute is involved in the ecological transition of the aerospace ecosystemMeeting
Sustainability
News
ISAE-SUPAERO develops a methodology to quantify the environmental impact of its research projectsThe Research Department has introduced a metric to assess the ambition of ISAE-SUPAERO's research activities in the transition to a sustainable society. The assessment reveals that more than a third (35%) of the research projects carried out at the Institute aim to have a significant impact on the environment.
Horizons
Sustainability
News
Decarbonisation of aviation: ISAE-SUPAERO launches training programme for professionals with GIFASThis one-day training course aims to help employees in the aeronautics sector play an active and informed role in the decarbonisation of the sector. The first two sessions will be held on Thursday 3 April 2025 in Toulouse and Thursday 10 April 2025 in Paris.
Aeronautics
Decarbonization
Program
News
Our alumni have their say: Meeting with Nathanaël Lecompte (S2021)Nathanaël is a recent graduate of ISAE-SUPAERO with a degree in engineering. Of all the opportunities available to him, he chose to pursue a career in renewable energy. He explains his motivations and his career path!
Sustainability
News
ISAE-SUPAERO awarded Sustainable Development and Corporate Social Responsibility (SD&CSR) labelThe Institute has been awarded the label "Développement Durable et Responsabilité Sociétale" (DD&RS), official recognition of its environmental and societal strategy. By obtaining this label, our school confirms its determination to make the ecological and social transition a lever for innovation in training, the transformation of industrial sectors and the evolution of practices in everyday life on campus.
Corporate responsibility
Label
Sustainability
Pages
Understanding the Issues via our Aviation and Climate Reference FrameworkCan we characterise the impact of aviation on the climate? What are the aviation and climate issues? Can we compare CO2 and non-CO2 effects? What technological solutions are being studied to make aviation sustainable? Can we link the rate of growth in air traffic to the proportion of the carbon budget devoted to aviation? Can we assess the energy resources available?
Horizons
Sustainability
News
The SOLAR BOOST project helps address the problem of urban transportDecarbonization
Sustainability
Pages
Living a Low-carbon CampusOne of the main thrusts of our ‘Horizons’ strategy is based on our actions to promote our campus. A sustainable campus that exemplifies our commitment to setting an example. This means implementing a low-carbon strategy aimed at reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, adapting our campus to future environmental impacts and reducing other environmental impacts (notably biodiversity and resources).
Horizons
Sustainability
News
ISAE-SUPAERO publishes an aviation and climate reportSustainability
Teacher researcher
News
ISAE-SUPAERO ranked among the top three institutions most committed to ecological and societal transition!Ranking
Sustainability
Pages
Job offersAeronautics
Decarbonization
Internship
News
Electric aircraft flights to raise awareness of carbon-free aviationIn June, twenty-four students and staff members from ISAE-SUPAERO had the opportunity to fly on the Velis Electro, the world's first certified 100% electric aircraft.
Aeronautics
Decarbonization
Sustainability
News
Clean Aviation – the European HERA projectEnvironmental issues are central to the strategy of ISAE-SUPAERO's Department of Research and Pedagogical Resources. This commitment is reflected in its participation in HERA, Hybrid Electric Regional Aircraft, one of the European research projects on decarbonising aviation.
Decarbonization
Sustainability
Pages
Innovating in a World of Transition - SafranThe challenges facing the aerospace industry (energy transition, New Space, digitalization) are driving a growing need for professionals with the ability to innovate. Against this backdrop, Safran and ISAE-SUPAERO are creating the Innovating in a World in Transition Chair.
Aeronautics
Chair
Decarbonization
News
Aviation and Climate: an assessment of transition scenarios for sustainable aviation compatible with the Paris AgreementIn 2021, ISAE-SUPAERO researchers Scott Delbecq, Jérôme Fontane, Nicolas Gourdain, Florian Simatos and Thomas Planès published the ‘Aviation and Climate’ report, summarising international scientific publications in order to provide the scientific information needed to understand the challenges of decarbonising air transport.
Aeronautics
DCAS
Decarbonization
News
ISAE-SUPAERO and GIFAS offer training to accelerate the decarbonization of air transportFaced with the challenges of climate change and the imperatives of energy transition, ISAE-SUPAERO and GIFAS have joined forces to offer a unique training program dedicated to decarbonizing the aviation sector.
Aeronautics
Company
Decarbonization
News
AeroSCOPE, the first open-source database for exploring CO2 emissions from air transportA doctoral student at ISAE-SUPAERO, Antoine Salgas has produced a photograph of CO2 emissions from air transport by country and by region. This unique work feeds into AeroMAPS, an open reference platform aimed at exploring scenarios for decarbonising air transport.
Aeronautics
Decarbonization
Sustainability
News
World Engineer Day 2020: a young alumni puts his engineering skills to work for the climateOn the occasion of ‘World Engineer Day 2020,’ which focuses on the theme of sustainable development, we present the profile of Maxime Efoui Hess.
Alumni
Presentation
Sustainability
Pages
Making a Lasting Commitment to New HorizonsOur world is facing major technological, health and environmental challenges. Although they are diverse in nature, they all share one thing in common: their great complexity, which combines scientific and social dimensions. It is the job of engineers to build bridges between science and society, using science to take concrete action in society. To address the complexity of these challenges, engineers have a voice to speak with and solutions to propose.
Horizons
Sustainability
News
Nicolas Cruaud, Engineer at ISAE-SUPAERO and co-founder of the start-up NéolitheMeeting
Presentation
Startup
News
ISAE-SUPAERO is officially a Pro-Vélo Employer!Championed by the Fédération des Usagers de la Bicyclette (FUB) and supported by ADEME, the Employeur Pro-Vélo label recognizes employer sites that implement ambitious pro-bike initiatives. ISAE-SUPAERO is proud to announce its Silver level certification.
Corporate responsibility
Label
Sustainability
News
Our alumni have their say: Vinh Ly, co-founder of KyanosAlumni
Career
Startup
News
Our partners are going green!Sustainability
News
ISAE-SUPAERO is broadcasting the webinar "Air transport in crisis and the climate challenge: towards new paradigms" on campus!Event
Sustainability
News
Thales and ISAE-SUPAERO strengthen ties to work towards a more sustainable air transport systemThe French high-tech group supports the Institute through a research chair. The prize: a thesis on an integrated approach to air transport and eleven scholarships of excellence to support high-achieving European students.
Aeronautics
Decarbonization
Partnership
News
The project for an unmanned, zero-emission aircraft to cross the South AtlanticInnovation
Researcher
Sustainability
News
Investing and committing to training and research to meet the challenges of the energy transitionISAE-SUPAERO and the ISAE-SUPAERO Foundation work together and take their share of responsibility for addressing these major challenges facing our society. Actions include raising awareness and training future aeronautical engineers, and setting up research programmes to better address energy and climate issues.
Sustainability
News
Horizon Europe Pathfinder, the European IPROP projectEnvironmental issues are central to the strategy of ISAE-SUPAERO's Department of Research and Pedagogical Resources. This commitment is reflected in its participation in IPROP, Ionic Propulsion in Atmosphere, one of the European research projects on decarbonisation in aviation.
Decarbonization
Sustainability
News
ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) Congress: Laurent Joly, Deputy Director of Research at ISAE-SUPAERO, talks about the Institute's commitmentsEvent
Sustainability
News
OSE L'ISAE-SUPAERO: a long-term commitmentDiversity program
Sustainability
News
ISAE-SUPAERO launches “Horizons”, its new Sustainable Development strategyISAE Group
Sustainability
Pages
Institute for Sustainable AviationCreated in 2021 on the initiative of internationally renowned academic institutions with longstanding academic expertise in aeronautics and air transport, the ISA is an institute dedicated to the challenges of aviation's transition to sustainability.
Aeronautics
Decarbonization
Sustainability
News
COP2 Student: ISAE-SUPAERO affirms its commitment to ecological transition by signing the Grenoble AgreementSustainability
News
Ranking of the top schools most committed to ecological transition: ISAE-SUPAERO in 2nd place!Ranking
Sustainability
News
ISAE-SUPAERO publishes its carbon footprint assessmentThe average French person emits 9 tonnes of CO2e per year. In order to comply with the Paris Agreement and limit global warming to +1.5°C, the carbon footprint must be reduced to 2 tonnes of CO2e per person per year by 2050.
Sustainability
News
Envision responsible air transportAeronautics
Sustainability
Videos
HORIZONS, ISAE-SUPAERO's renewed sustainable development strategyAt ISAE-SUPAERO, environmental issues are at the heart of our commitment. We are therefore mobilizing our teaching skills and scientific expertise to help build the aeronautical and space components of this sustainable society, and in particular to invent the low-carbon air transport of tomorrow.
Horizons
Sustainability
News
AeroMAPS: the go-to tool for exploring the possible futures of aviationThe AeroMAPS tool, developed by researchers at ISAE-SUPAERO, makes it possible to assess the environmental impacts of air transport and the effectiveness or limitations of levers for decarbonising the sector.
Aeronautics
DCAS
Decarbonization
Pages
Training for the FutureAt ISAE-SUPAERO, we train our students to meet the challenge of the energy transition. By supporting them in their systems approach, their ability to master complex systems and their commitment to public debate, we give them the keys to inventing the world of tomorrow.
Horizons
Sustainability
Pages
Our Challenge for the Environmental TransitionAt ISAE-SUPAERO, we are committed to a sustainable society through ‘Horizons’ in the field of environmental transition. Supported by a manifesto and a carbon footprint, our strategy mobilises researchers, teachers, staff and students to accelerate the transition and design the low-carbon aeronautics of tomorrow.
Horizons
Sustainability
News
ISAE-SUPAERO and ENAC are collaborating on the design of a 100% digital degree programme in English on the subject of aviation transitions!ISAE-SUPAERO and ENAC train engineers with a high level of scientific expertise, humanistic values and innovative skills to master the complex challenges of tomorrow's world in the fields of aerospace and air transport.
Decarbonization
Sustainability
Pages
Exploring, Sharing, TransformingCreating open discussion forums to facilitate exchanges on the challenges of transition in the aerospace sector, contributing to innovation, sharing our expertise and making it accessible, crossing viewpoints, promoting inclusion and openness around these subjects: we are acting collectively for transition on an international scale.
Horizons
Sustainability
Pages
Meeting Environmental ChallengesCrossing the Atlantic in an aeroplane or sending a human being to the Moon: for a century, aerospace research has never ceased to achieve what many thought impossible. At ISAE-SUPAERO, we are mobilising to meet this challenge and respond to the environmental and societal issues we face. 35% of internal and collaborative research projects are directly aimed at decarbonisation or are linked to the transition to sustainable aerospace by 2024.
Horizons
Sustainability
News
Work on decarbonising aviation recognised by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)Paul Saves, a doctoral student at ISAE-SUPAERO/ONERA, has won the 2022 Best Paper Award from the AIAA for his work in Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO).
Decarbonization
Sustainability