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The Age of Pioneers: Reinventing Aviation with Hydrogen

Publication Date

28 July 2026

Category

Research

Tag

Aviation

DAEP

Decarbonization

Research

For the past ten years at ISAE-SUPAERO, research into hydrogen has established itself as a major focus of innovation in support of the aviation sector’s energy transition. Now, more than ever, the pioneering spirit drives the Institute’s researchers. The Mermoz hydrogen-powered drone project builds on the legendary legacy of the Aéropostale and Jean Mermoz’s 1930 flight across the South Atlantic. Almost a century later, "Défi Mermoz" is in turn taking up a technological challenge, closely aligned with industrial priorities, without waiting until 2050!

Hydrogen: A Major Area of Innovation at ISAE-SUPAERO

Small but strategic: the Mermoz drone, a flying hydrogen laboratory

By developing a small hydrogen-powered aircraft, ISAE-SUPAERO aims to make a tangible contribution to the decarbonisation of aviation through experimentation.

The full potential of this energy source is being explored:

performance,
constraints,
technological barriers,
as well as prospects for both civil aviation and defence.

To address these questions, scientists are adopting a resolutely experimental approach involving small quantities of hydrogen, enabling them to rapidly build up expertise whilst managing risks.

“We are testing theory against experimental validation, which is a powerful driver of innovation,” emphasises Jean-Marc Moschetta, professor of aerodynamics at ISAE-SUPAERO.

From gaseous hydrogen to liquid hydrogen

“For aviation, hydrogen will be liquid or it won’t be at all,” states the researcher. “Only the switch to liquid hydrogen will allow us to capitalise on hydrogen’s high energy density without suffering the weight penalty associated with pressurised gaseous hydrogen.”

Indeed, hydrogen pressurised to 300 bar requires very strong and heavy tanks, whereas in liquid form, it is possible to carry larger quantities of hydrogen whilst keeping the weight of the tanks under control. Furthermore, in liquid form, hydrogen takes up less space than in pressurised gaseous form.

For small aircraft, ranging from small drones to regional aeroplanes, hydrogen can be used to generate electricity via a fuel cell. An electric motor is then powered to drive a propeller. However, for heavier aircraft, the power requirements mean that hydrogen must be used in a combustion process.

This is why the turbofan engines fitted to current airliners must be adapted for this new fuel. Unlike kerosene, the exhaust gases released when using hydrogen do not contain CO₂ but consist mainly of water vapour and, potentially, lower levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx).

Read: The First Franco-Korean Workshop on the Challenges of Cryogenic Hydrogen

Combining science and testing to master the liquid hydrogen propulsion system

Beyond the technical objective of flying the Mermoz drone 3,000 kilometres without emitting any CO₂, ISAE-SUPAERO’s interest lies in developing expertise in a disruptive technology that is still very poorly documented in the field of aeronautics, even though cryogenic hydrogen is commonly used in the launch vehicle sector.

There are specific constraints involved in integrating hydrogen into a commercial aircraft, particularly due to economic considerations, operational reliability, and safety on board and at airports.

“On a small scale, such as in the practical work offered to students on low-power propulsion systems, or using a mini-drone weighing less than 25 kg like Mermoz, we are experimenting,” emphasises Jean-Marc Moschetta, “with the implementation, within a short timeframe and with low risk, of systems representative of hydrogen aviation, covering operational aspects such as refuelling, leak tests, failure scenarios, mission profile optimisation, etc.”

A three-pronged strategy supported by partners

Researchers at ISAE-SUPAERO are focusing their work on three areas of research in collaboration with various laboratories, companies and institutions that provide support through programmes dedicated to this topic.

Thermal management and energy optimisation of the propulsion system

Hydrogen, carried on board either as a high-pressure gas or in liquid form at very low temperatures, can be used either in a combustion chamber to react with oxygen from the air and drive a turbine, or be brought into contact with oxygen via a proton exchange membrane in a fuel cell or hydrogen cell.

The latter produces, on the one hand, electricity to power a permanent magnetic motor; on the other hand, it also produces water, which must be discharged into the environment; and finally, heat, which, in the case of a cryogenic tank, is used to warm the hydrogen from the tank before it enters the cell.

“The optimisation of the hydrogen propulsion system involves an in-depth thermodynamic analysis, which formed the subject of a doctoral thesis defended in December 2025 under the joint supervision of ISAE-SUPAERO and the LAPLACE laboratory,” recalls Jean-Marc Moschetta. “Furthermore, certain specific phenomena, such as sloshing in liquid hydrogen tanks, are currently being modelled as part of planned collaborations with SIEMENS and CT Engineering,” adds the researcher.

On-board safety and operational safety

Compared with natural gas, a hydrogen leak produces a potentially explosive atmosphere at concentrations as low as 4%. Since the dihydrogen molecule is very small, leaks in distribution systems pose a real risk that requires hydrogen detectors and ventilation or nitrogen inerting measures.

A risk analysis using a ‘model engineering’ approach, calibrated against measurements taken on a test bench, is being carried out at ISAE-SUPAERO in collaboration with SIEMENS Software. The aim is to examine various failure scenarios and develop contingency plans.

Furthermore, handling hydrogen creates a psychological barrier linked to the hazardous nature of the material and its use. The historic Hindenburg airship disaster in 1937 still weighs heavily on people’s minds when it comes to gaining public acceptance.

Mastering cryogenics in the context of aviation

Modelling the propulsion system – and in particular the thermodynamic properties of the fuel tank (gravimetric index and evaporation rate) – is the cornerstone of hydrogen-powered aircraft design. This is the focus of the ARCHY (ARCHitecture of Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft) project, which began in January 2025 and is continuing in the form of a postdoctoral research programme in collaboration between ISAE-SUPAERO and ENAC, coordinated by the Institute for Sustainable Aviation (ISA) with the support of the Occitanie Region.

The aim is to study innovative architectures for medium- and long-haul commercial aircraft powered by hydrogen, as well as their impact on aviation’s decarbonisation pathways. This project involves collaboration with engineers from the AIRBUS ZeroE programme.

At the same time, the DRONE LIQUIDE project, supported by the Defence Innovation Agency of the Ministry of the Armed Forces, is developing an experimental approach to cryogenic hydrogen for aviation. It focuses on conducting ground and flight tests of an ultra-long-endurance drone powered by cryogenic hydrogen.

Launched in February 2025, this project will involve the acquisition of a titanium tank and the deployment of a hydrogen liquefier to refuel the drone prior to its catapult launch, as part of a partnership with the LAPLACE laboratory and H2-Pulse, the project lead. The acquisition of this mobile liquefier and the development of expertise in its operation are supported by the CRYOFLY project, funded in part by the Occitanie Region and the GENHyO programme – Hydrogen Generation in Occitanie.

The Mermoz drone takes to the skies

In 2023, the Mermoz drone, a flying laboratory developed by researchers at ISAE-SUPAERO, carried out its first flight tests whilst carrying gaseous hydrogen. 2026 will mark the first stage of flight tests using cryogenic hydrogen.

Thanks to the miniaturisation of the propulsion system, an in-depth analysis of all stages has enabled:

the design and construction of the drone, an iterative process carried out in collaboration with DAHER,
the management of operational aspects in conjunction with DELAIR,
the acquisition of a vehicle equipped for flight testing of instrumented drones, supported by

the CERTIDRONE project, linked to a State-Region Plan Contract (CPER) with the Occitanie Region,

the purchase, as part of this same equipment programme, of a Doppler Lidar and a catapult to facilitate take-off from unprepared terrain. Finally, an integration and flight test preparation workshop, known as DroneLab, serves as a base for fine-tuning the systems prior to field operations.

In addition to the on-board hydrogen, two other energy sources are being investigated to supplement the energy generated by the hydrogen fuel cell: photovoltaic energy (study currently underway with LAAS-CNRS), and wind-gradient energy harvesting, utilising the phenomenon of gradient lift commonly exploited by birds of the Southern Seas such as the albatross.

By 2027, the research team aims to carry out long-endurance flights using cryogenic hydrogen in a small fixed-wing drone (4 m wingspan, 13 kg). These flights are expected to take place at the Istres base with the support of the Flight Test Centre of the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA/EV).

Will the Mermoz drone, a century after Jean Mermoz’s feat, continue the same tradition of innovation and promise for aeronautics?

Experts Tackling the MERMOZ Challenge

Jean-Marc Moschetta,professor of aerodynamics at ISAE-SUPAERO

Nikola Gavrilovic, professor, modelling, design, flight testing, fine-tuning

Baptiste Legrand, postdoctoral researcher, safety analysis, system modelling

Romain Jan, postdoctoral researcher, thermodynamic and structural modelling of tanks

Dominique Bernard, safety pilot, flight preparation, on-board integration

Henri Dedieu, hydrogen technician, flight test equipment

Bastien Schnitzler, PhD student, optimal trajectory planning

Sofia Mertika, PhD student, thermodynamic modelling and energy optimisation

Control of wingtip vortices via inhomogeneous jet injection

Publication Date

10 June 2026

Category

Tag

DAEP

Job offer

Post-doctorate

Research

Science

This experimental project aims to investigate the control of wingtip vortices through the injection of variable-density jets into the vortex core, with the objective of accelerating their destabilisation and decay. This approach is motivated by the significant applied relevance of such vortices, which contribute to the formation of condensation trails in aircraft wakes and, consequently, to aviation-induced radiative forcing. The primary diagnostic technique employed is time-resolved Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), enabling precise quantification of the vortex dynamical response to the induced perturbations. The project builds upon recent numerical findings from the research group, which demonstrated considerable transient growth potential in variable-density vortices, as well as preliminary experimental measurements already successfully carried out on the department’s test bench.

PhD ACTAM : Aeroacoustics of multi-axle landing gear

Publication Date

13 February 2026

Category

Tag

DAEP

Research

Thesis

This PhD proposes to investigate multi-axle landing gear noise generation mechanisms in order to propose innovative low-noise designs.

Psychoacoustic evaluation of drone noise

Publication Date

22 October 2025

Category

Tag

DAEP

Internship

Research

This internship proposes to evaluate the sound perception associated with multi-copter drones to allow the development of effective noise reduction strategies and awareness actions.

Aerodynamics, Energetics, and Propulsion Department (DAEP)

Publication Date

10 April 2025

Category

Tag

DAEP

PhD

Researcher

Science

Scientific publication

Teacher researcher

Our Research Department

ISAE-SUPAERO’s Aerodynamics, Energetics, and Propulsion Department (DAEP) is a key player in innovation in the fields of aerodynamics and propulsion.

It conducts cutting-edge research and develops advanced technologies, ranging from fundamental fluid dynamics and external aerodynamics to turbomachinery and propulsion.

The department, which is structured into three complementary scientific groups, is committed to developing knowledge and innovative solutions in the field of advanced aerodynamic and energy systems.

Its work is organised around four main scientific areas: Understanding and controlling complex flows (unsteady, transitional, turbulent, compressible) to improve the modelling and control of aerodynamic performance; designing and optimising innovative propulsion systems, using multi-scale and multiphysics approaches combining modelling and experimentation; research into energy-efficient solutions, including the use of new vectors and hybrid architectures to reduce the environmental footprint of energy systems; and the development of advanced numerical and experimental methodologies, particularly in high-fidelity simulation, parallel computing and applied AI, with test facilities adapted to the scale of components and systems.

These activities are part of a strong innovation dynamic and contribute to meeting the technological and environmental challenges of the aeronautics and space sectors.

Faculty

Technicians

Young researchers

Trainees

Publications/year

Research Activities at DAEP

The DAEP is structured into three research groups:

The D2F group: Fundamental Fluid Dynamics
The AEX group : External Aerodynamics
The TMP group: Turbomachinery and Propulsion

and four scientific themes:

MSE for Flow Modelling and Simulation
4AC for Experimental and Numerical Aeroacoustics for Aeronautical Applications
Aerodynamics and propulsion of durable, silent and convertible UAVs
Innovation in integrated aircraft architectures and propulsion systems

The department has strong links with the scientific community in the Toulouse area. Beyond this, research collaborations take place nationally and internationally, either through joint projects or on a more long-term basis, based on researcher-to-researcher links. Research agreements and contracts are also signed with major aeronautical contractors, equipment manufacturers, and subcontractors.

D2F Scientific Group

Research Themes

High-fidelity modelling and simulation of compressible and unsteady flows
Aero-acoustic modelling and noise source prediction
Reducing simulation costs and quantifying uncertainties

AEX Scientific Group

Research Themes

Aerodynamic optimisation and noise reduction
Flows in disturbed environments and fluid/structure interaction
Low-carbon propulsion and AI for flow control

TMP Scientific Group

Research Themes

Turbomachinery operability and robustness
Integration of new propulsion architectures
Development of advanced simulation methods

Our Research Projects

Adapting to non-carbon energies requires major changes in the architecture of transportation systems. In the case of an aircraft, this applies to numerous subsystems such as the propulsion or air conditioning unit. These developments are reflected in the components themselves and push the limits of some components, such as turbomachinery. The electrification process requires high-efficiency operating ranges for turbines and compressors that go beyond the current state of the art. The same difficulties are encountered in supplying air to fuel cells, which is holding up development.

The ANR CASTOR industrial chair is a research programme shared between Liebherr Aerospace, a recognised supplier of air systems to the aeronautics industry, and the DAEP at ISAE-SUPAERO. The aim is to increase the operating flexibility and performance of radial turbomachines, which are widely used in several industrial sectors because they are compact and robust, but whose geometric configuration leads to highly complex flows. In particular, we need to work on the operating limits of compressors, whose operability is limited by physical constraints, such as the compressibility of the gas, and above all by flow instabilities. This is a long-term issue in the specialist scientific literature, on which we need to make progress to better characterise and then push these limits.

For decades, turbines have suffered from a strong bias towards the classical sizing approach, which is very effective for a single specification, but loses its validity when the specification becomes multiple, as required by more electric architectures. The detailed analysis of rotors dimensioned in an unconventional way is a good starting point for making this diagnosis, and adjusting the methods, correlations and models, while taking into account variable geometry devices, which ensure operating flexibility.

The scientific approach is based on the experience of the department's TMP (Turbomachines and Propulsion) team, which actively contributes to research work on turbomachinery flows and the associated methodologies, whether numerical or experimental. But the department's other skills are also put to good use, such as its expertise in numerical simulation methods, including multiphysics (aero mechanical and thermal), and flow stability analysis.

Two test benches enable advanced metrology to be deployed, giving access to the local structure of the flow. They are also used to work on metrological issues, which, in such a constrained environment, is a research subject in its own right. The same methodological work is being carried out on dimensioning tools and numerical simulations. The Chair's location and organisation means that the DAEP and Liebherr teams work closely together on these different subjects.

As a result, a team of around twenty people at the two sites and pooled testing resources contribute to this 4-year project. Direct costs of €1.25m are being split by the ANR and Liebherr. The increased flexibility expected from radial turbomachinery will help to meet aircraft electrification requirements. It will also contribute to the development of fuel cells and heat recovery cycles. It will encourage the emergence of new system architectures, which could have an impact on other industrial sectors.

Context and Research Objectives

ISAE-SUPAERO conducts advanced research in aeronautical propulsion and energy to support the sector's transition. Since 2016, its Aerodynamics, Energetics, and Propulsion department has been developing innovative architectures to improve the energy performance of aircraft. Thirteen patents have been filed in collaboration with Safran, reflecting a strong industrial base. At the same time, an exergy approach has been developed to quantify the recoverable energy in the interactions between the propulsion system and the airframe. This method, integrated into the Epsilon open-source software, is now used by several players in the aeronautical sector.

Technical Developments: the Multifan Concept

Since 2017, ISAE-SUPAERO has been working on a multifan system, a propulsion architecture that distributes thrust over several independent fans. This approach makes it possible to increase the engine bypass ratio while respecting ground clearance constraints. The main advantages of the multifan are:

Improved propulsive efficiency and reduced drag
Optimised interaction with the wing, improving stability and energy performance
The possibility of thrust vectoring, reducing the need for a tail fin

2D and 3D CFD simulations have demonstrated aerodynamic benefits, notably via shock ingestion and vortex interaction, leading to several patents.

Exergy Applied to Aerodynamics

The exergy approach aims to quantify the useful energy recoverable from engine-wing interactions. Unlike conventional architectures, where the propulsion and airframe are separate, the multifan allows for greater synergy, in particular by exploiting the wake and boundary layers. Exergy distinguishes:

Recoverable energy (exergy), which can be used to improve efficiency
Lost energy (anergy), due to thermodynamic irreversibilities

These analyses have been validated experimentally in wind tunnels, demonstrating their relevance for optimising aeronautical configurations.

Numerical Tool: Epsilon Software

The exergy concepts have been integrated into the free Epsilon software, a plugin for Paraview. This tool enables data from numerical simulations and experimental tests to be analysed using an exergy approach. Since it was made freely available in 2022, Epsilon has been used by manufacturers such as Airbus and Safran, as well as by several international universities, reinforcing its impact on aeronautical research.

Student Training and Prospects

ISAE-SUPAERO is incorporating these advances into its training courses, particularly through a new teaching module on exergy in aerodynamics launched in 2023. This 20-hour course combines theory and practical applications. At the same time, a flying prototype project, supported by Airbus, was launched in 2022 with around ten students. Its aim is to design an A350 model equipped with the multifan system, offering a unique opportunity for applied learning.

Conclusion

The multifan and exergy approach developed by ISAE-SUPAERO provide innovative solutions for the future of aeronautical propulsion. Thanks to technological and numerical advances, this work is making an active contribution to energy optimisation in the sector.

The Institute is also pursuing its mission of excellence in education, integrating these innovations to prepare future engineers for the challenges of sustainable aeronautics.

The Genesis

When the SUPAERO and ENSICA research teams merged, the researchers working on the simulation of compressible flows chose to pool their activities in numerical methods and high-fidelity modelling of turbulent flows in the same calculation tool, on unstructured meshes, with the aim of retaining significant autonomy in the development of methods and models, but also maintaining the capacity to simulate more applied configurations in a massively parallel context.

The following paragraphs detail the methodological developments, as well as the projects aimed at producing results and studying the physics.

Today, this code is widely used in the department, by all three groups, although the D2F group remains the main developer and user.

In the department, 10 researchers are at least users, six of whom are developers or supervise developments.

Since 2023, an engineer has provided specific development and productivity support for research activities, in particular portability to external computers.

Methodological Developments

Given the main objectives (LES or DNS type simulation of compressible flows), the basic structure of the code is an unstructured mesh partitioning architecture with explicit Runge-Kutta type integration and non-blocking communications. The initial hybrid centred/upwind scheme with various sensors (shock sensors in particular) was completed by a complete restructuring compatible with SD and FR spectral schemes, by Lamouroux (2016) and then Saez-Mischlich (2021). At the same time, Saez-Mischlich (2021) has developed both Finite Volume (FV) and spectral (SD) ALE functionalities for moving meshes (here undeformed) and sliding meshes, which open up applications to rotors and turbomachinery. A specific development (in VF) by Rolandi (2021) makes it possible to force a stationary flow (Selective Frequency Damping method) and carry out a stability analysis using a Krylov/Finite Difference method, as well as carrying out a Floquet analysis for the secondary stability of a periodic flow.

Simulation at the Service of Physics

These developments have resulted in a reliable, high-performance tool for producing results for the physical analysis of flows. These include

Supersonic flows: Shock wave/turbulent boundary layer interaction on academic configurations, with forcing (vortex generator) or on more applied configurations (supersonic air inlet)
Turbulent flows on airfoils and rotors, for performance prediction, acoustic sources (e.g. effect of cavities, perforated walls) and identification of aeroacoustic coupling
The stability of lift-off or wake flows at low Reynolds numbers
Pulsed flows in turbines

Projects

From a methodological point of view, although spectral methods have been used in supersonic configurations, this is a particularly sensitive and severe situation for these high-order methods. A thesis is in progress to optimise the robustness/accuracy trade-off in shock capture situations in turbulent flows. The stability module is also being developed to include the adjoint operator and provide access to optimisation and control methodologies.

The main medium-term applications are supersonic flows with shock, in air inlets and, in the future, in nozzles and jets.

DAEP Scientific Publications

Towards scalable surrogate models based on neural fields for large scale aerodynamic simulations

Catalani Giovanni, Jean Fesquet, Bertrand Xavier, Tost Frederic, Bauerheim Michaël, Morlier Joseph, Towards scalable surrogate models based on neural fields...

17 Dec 2025 Data Driven Prediction of Gust Aeroelastic dynamics of HALE using Graph Neural ordinary differential Equations with input Control

Colombo Michele, Bauerheim Michaël, Morlier Joseph, Data Driven Prediction of Gust Aeroelastic dynamics of HALE using Graph Neural ordinary differential...

17 Dec 2025 Serration Manufacturing Effects on Propeller Trailing Edge Noise Mechanisms

Santamaria Jorge, Belliot Sylvain, Sanjosé Marlène, Gojon Romain, Moreau Stéphane, Serration Manufacturing Effects on Propeller Trailing Edge Noise Mechanisms. 2026,...

20 Jan 2026 Transient growth in a heavy q-vortex

Sablon Julien, Fontane Jérôme, Nastro Gabriele, Joly Laurent, Transient growth in a heavy q-vortex. 2026, American Physical Society. 11 (1)....

01 Feb 2026 Confined ionic wind : optimal gap for ducted electrodes systems

Flesselles, Benoit, Plouraboué, Franck, Binder Nicolas, Confined ionic wind : optimal gap for ducted electrodes systems. 2026, American Institute of...

01 Feb 2026

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Scientific and research integrity

Publication Date

10 April 2025

Category

Tag

DAEP

DCAS

DEOS

DISC

DMSM

Researcher

Science

Teacher researcher

What is scientific integrity?

Scientific integrity refers to the set of rules and values that must govern research activities to ensure that they are honest and rigorous. Mentioned in the Research Code (article L. 211-2 of the Research Code), it “helps to guarantee the impartiality of research and the objectivity of its results”.

Scientific integrity is essential to the smooth running of research communities, and also forms the basis of a relationship of trust between the research community and other parts of society.

Beyond the specificities of each discipline, good practice in research is based on common principles, which are set out in the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity:

Reliability in the design, methodology, analysis and use of resources;
Respect for colleagues, research participants, society, ecosystems, cultural heritage and the environment;
Honesty in designing, carrying out, evaluating and disseminating research in a transparent, fair, complete and objective manner;
Responsibility in carrying out research activities, from idea to publication, in their management and organisation, in training, in coaching and mentoring, and in the wider implications of research.

Scientific Integrity Officer at ISAE-SUPAERO

By signing this charter, the Institute undertakes to put in place an institutional policy on scientific integrity and to appoint a “scientific integrity referent”.

As such, Pierre Magnan, Professor Emeritus at the Institute, has been appointed Scientific Integrity Coordinator at ISAE-SUPAERO.

The role of the Scientific Integrity Officer (RIS) is to ensure that the Institute’s researchers comply with the main principles of scientific integrity as defined by OFIS, a department of Hceres, and set out in the European code of conduct and in the “French Charter of Ethics for Research Professions”: To aim for reliable, honest, respectful and responsible research and to combat breaches.

In particular, the referee must:

To provide information on the implementation of the programme, and on a regular basis, for new arrivals;
Participate in a training programme for doctoral students in conjunction with the École des Docteurs;
Ensure that the laboratory notebooks are regularly kept, via the departments;

Run a web page on the Institute’s website (raising awareness, examples of breaches);
Participate in the network of scientific integrity officers at the various institutions;
Keeping an up-to-date list of breaches, with regular reports to the Director General.

Scientific Integrity Coordinator (RIS) at ISAE-SUPAERO

For any request for advice or to report a possible breach of scientific integrity (SI):

Pierre Magnan

pierre.magnan@isae-supaero.fr
Professor Emeritus
Electronics, Optronics and Signal Department

What is a breach of scientific integrity?

Any practice that undermines the reliability of results and the proper functioning of research communities is likely to constitute a breach of scientific integrity. A breach may concern all aspects of research activities in all disciplines, whether public or private.

Instruction procedure

Any person acting in good faith who is aware of a possible breach of scientific integrity may send a report to the Scientific Integrity Officer.

Receipt

The allegation of misconduct is sent by email or post, signed and dated. This statement describes the situation and the people involved. The whistleblower’s anonymity is guaranteed by the Scientific Integrity Officer.

Admissibility of the report

During the preliminary investigation phase, the officer in charge verifies that the report is sufficiently detailed to allow action to be taken. If an investigation is launched, he or she quickly informs the persons implicated.

Investigation

In all cases, absolute priority is given to the facts and to the presumption of good faith on the part of the persons concerned. It is understood that, at any stage of the procedure and whenever possible, the Reporting Officer may propose mediation to the persons concerned, in order to resolve the situation through a series of appropriate measures accepted by all parties.

The investigation is carried out in an adversarial manner, with uniform treatment, and if necessary involving independent experts. An inventory of the facts reported, the facts established and the arguments put forward by the various parties leads to the drafting of a report by the Scientific Integrity Officer, which may include recommendations. The report is submitted to the President of the University.

Follow-up

The Director General of ISAE-SUPAERO is responsible for deciding what action to take on the investigation report.

Scientific integrity, research ethics and professional conduct are three essential components of responsible research conduct.

Scientific integrity refers to good practice in the production and dissemination of scientific knowledge. It guarantees the honest and rigorous nature of research activities.

Ethics refer to a set of obligations specific to the practice of a profession. In France, when a researcher is a civil servant, his or her obligations are set out in the General Civil Service Code.

Research ethics concerns, on the one hand, the major issues raised by certain scientific developments and, on the other hand, the more operational issues of compliance of research protocols with the legal rules and ethical recommendations in force.

Ethics refer to a set of obligations specific to the practice of a profession. In France, when a researcher is a civil servant, for example, his or her obligations are set out in the General Civil Service Code.

The planning and implementation of the research project: Failure to obtain the necessary authorisations (ethical approval, consent of participants); non-compliance with authorised protocols; misuse of research funds.

Management and practices relating to data of any kind (including bodies of text, archives, images, etc.): Falsification or fabrication; deliberately deficient management or archiving; retention without legal justification, omission or selection without scientific justification; problematic statistical processing; unmentioned embellishment.

Publication, communication and authoring practices: Plagiarism; improper signature or failure to acknowledge a contribution; self-plagiarism; non-compliance with AI usage requirements; improper or biased citations; lack of impartiality or transparency when speaking publicly.

Interactions between peers: Biased peer-reviewing, appropriation of research projects or ideas, lack of supervision, undue hindrance of the progress of a peer's work, unfounded accusations of misconduct.

Failure to declare links or conflicts of interest, or their poor management at all or part of the stages of a research activity (e.g. application for funding, evaluation, expert appraisal and dissemination of results).

The most serious forms of misconduct - such as fabrication, falsification of data and plagiarism (FFP) - are liable to disciplinary action.

Reference texts on scientific integrity

ANR Charter of ethics and scientific integrity
European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity
Singapore Declaration on Scientific Integrity
The Corvol report
French Office of Scientific Integrity
Report by the CNRS Ethics Committee (COMETS) – “Ethical reflection on plagiarism in scientific research”.
Guide “Practising research with integrity and responsibility” published by the CNRS

As developments in this area, both nationally and internationally, are fairly frequent, it is advisable to refer to the Ofis website, which is regularly updated.

Research

Publication Date

05 September 2024

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Our scientific activities cover a broad spectrum of strategic themes, closely linked to the major challenges facing the aerospace sector. Supported by our research departments, our activities combine academic excellence, technological innovation, and responses to industrial and societal challenges. Thanks to our complementary approach and our openness to interdisciplinarity, the Institute is positioned as a major player in French and international research.

Our research policy is resolutely focused on the technological challenges of tomorrow, in response to the emerging needs of the aerospace and high technology industries. This dynamic approach is underpinned by close collaboration with industry, through sponsorship agreements in strategic areas, and the active participation of a large number of professionals in teaching, who pass on the latest innovations and best practices in the sector.

Research at ISAE-SUPAERO

International

ISAE-SUPAERO's research contributes to its position as an international leader for its general engineering curriculum, its post-graduate courses, in particular Master's degree in aerospace engineering (MAE), Advanced Master® and doctorate (PhD) programmes.

Interdiscplinary

We combine an interdisciplinary approach with advanced research into scientific knowledge, models, methodological approaches, and tools for the design of aeronautical, space and embedded systems, from the expression of requirements and specifications through to verification and validation (V&V) or qualification with planned future certification.

Innovative

ISAE-SUPAERO's scientific strategy addresses the societal and industrial challenges of sustainable development and the performance of aerospace systems, including issues of safety, security, resilience, competitiveness, (digital) virtualisation, new technologies, processes, services or innovative concepts.

ISAE-SUPERO's research activity has developed considerably in recent years.

The Institute's laboratories employ around 400 people.
The campus is also home to ONERA's Toulouse research centre, which also has 400 employees.

The ISAE-SUPAERO and ONERA laboratories cover a wide range of activities and disciplines related to aeronautics and space - from aerodynamics to neuroergonomics to the development of new technologies in
electronics, signal processing, and structural mechanics. Nearly 300 doctoral students are enrolled at ISAE-SUPAERO.

The ISAE-SUPAERO laboratories are open to all our students. The campus has been designed to combine research and teaching areas, and to ensure that students have easy and permanent access to researchers.

Our campus is also adjacent to that of Paul Sabatier University and major CNRS laboratories such as LAAS and the Midi-Pyrénées Observatory - partners that offer many opportunities for discovery or work placements for our students who are interested in research.

At ISAE-SUPAERO, we can count 129 faculty members.

The general engineering curriculum includes extensive exposure to research. In the second year, our faculty offer students research placements in the school's laboratories or those of our partners in Toulouse.

Some teaching activities, such as Experimental Practice' in the first year or practical work as part of elective or third-year courses, also take place in research laboratories. Our doctoral students are also on hand to give lectures and tutorials.

For students who are interested in doing a thesis, a 'research pathway' has been set up, which allows them to adjust their schooling and spread their third year over two years, so that they can do work placements in several laboratories, particularly abroad, before starting their thesis.

Our engineering students can also take a research-oriented Master's degree during their third year, with courses that allow them to combine a general engineering degree with a Master's degree in fields such as the sciences of the universe or operational research. As a result, around 15% of our students go on to do a PhD, either with us or in other laboratories in France or abroad.

SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AND RESEARCH: ISAE-SUPAERO is a signatory to the National Charter of Ethics for Research Professionals, which governs research activities to ensure that they are honest and rigorous

5 Strategic Priorities

ISAE-SUPAERO’s scientific policy for aeronautical and space systems is organised into 5 strategic areas:

Integrated design for aerospace system performance, operational safety, and the environment
Models and optimisation for energy efficiency, the environment, and competitiveness
Earth observation, environmental monitoring, and space exploration
Resilient telecommunications, networks, and connected cyber-physical systems
Data analysis, decision sciences, and mastering complexity

5 Research Departments

As part of its missions and under the aegis of its Research Council, ISAE-SUPAERO and its 5 departments, carries out its scientific strategy in two research units (laboratories evaluated by the HCERES):

ISAE-SUPAERO Research, a multidisciplinary laboratory and the Institute’s own unit
Institut Clément Ader (ICA) UMR n°5312 of the CNRS, a solid mechanics laboratory in the Midi-Pyrénées region under the supervision of the CNRS, UT3, INSA, MINES-ALBI, and ISAE-SUPAERO

and with the support of 5 doctoral schools in the Toulouse area.

ISAE-SUPAERO leads scientific, disciplinary, or cross-disciplinary themes, as well as cross-disciplinary research and innovation actions (ATRI), which are extended into national scientific interest groups: the 'Microdrones' and 'Centre Spatial Universitaire Toulousain' GISs.

LACS research is housed in the LISST and LAIRDIL laboratories at UT2 Jean Jaurès, which are evaluated separately.

ISAE-SUPAERO's partnership with ONERA and ENAC is a key element of the higher education and research cluster dedicated to the 'aeronautics and space' sector on the Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées Federal University site.

OPEN SCIENCE: ISAE-SUPAERO'S SCIENCE AVAILABLE TO ALL

Discover OPEN SCIENCE: Our new open archive platform.

Anyone can access our theses, publications, scientific instruments, and technological platforms.

Discover ISAE-SUPAERO's 4 commitments to Open Science!

Further Information

Find out more about our 5 research departments: DEOS, DCAS, DISC, DAEP, and DMSM. And our training department: LACS.

DEOS

The Electronics, Optronics, and Signal Processing Department (DEOS) develops and produces payloads for tomorrow's advanced aeronautical and space applications. The skills of its teams cover a wide range of technologies, from the design of silicon sensors to interplanetary scientific payloads, and from signal theory studies to advanced communication and navigation systems.

Further Information

DCAS

The Aerospace Vehicle Design and Operation Department (DCAS) develops methods, simulation tools, and experimental platforms for the design and operation of aerospace vehicles.

Further Information

DISC

The Department of Complex Systems Engineering (DISC) develops skills in mathematics and computer science for aeronautical and space engineering. In both teaching and research, it focuses on the models, methods, and tools needed to control the behaviour and performance of complex systems. This complexity may be induced by the multi-physics or multiscale nature of the systems studied, their dynamic behaviour, or their distributed and communicating structure.

Further Information

DAEP

The Aerodynamics and Propulsion Department: 62 people, 30 research projects, including 5 on a European scale, an exceptional fleet of test facilities for teaching and research purposes, 3 research groups contributing to a growth strategy focused on 4 themes with topical scientific and social-economic challenges, supported by 2 structuring projects: the SAA wind tunnel and the IC3 large-scale simulation code.

Further Information

DMSM

The role of the Structures and Materials Mechanics Department is to organise and supervise all teaching activities in the mechanics of deformable solids for ISAE-SUPAERO courses, in synergy with upstream and applied research activities on aeronautical materials and structures. This strong interaction between teaching and research is the basis of our department's organisation.

Further information

LACS

In the Languages, Arts, Cultures, and Societies Department, we teach languages, interculturality, geopolitics, general culture, economics, sport... Multi-dimensional skills that bring out knowledge, interpersonal skills, know-how and interpersonal skills.

Further Information

Focus on subsonic wind tunnels, aerodynamics in practice

Publication Date

25 June 2024

Category

Research

Tag

Aeronautics

DAEP

Focus on ISAE-SUPAERO's subsonic wind tunnels

There are seven of them. The subsonic wind tunnels at ISAE-SUPAERO are lined up in a room where students, doctoral students and researchers meet. Their function? To reproduce airflows, like those that suck in the wings of an aircraft, and enable them to be measured.

“This is where students learn about external aerodynamic metrology,” explains Patrick Chèze, head of the technical group in the Aerodynamics, Energetics and Propulsion (DAEP) research department at ISAE-SUPAERO. In other words, carrying out and interpreting measurements of pressure and forces related to the flow of air over an object, such as an aircraft wing profile.

For example, engineering and Masters students can practise measuring drag, the force that opposes a vehicle’s trajectory, and empirically look for solutions to reduce it. Or they can identify and measure the turbulence created at the back of a wing. “It’s a real educational test bed on which they learn the rigours of the test engineer’s job,” notes Patrick Chèze.

Measuring pressure or effort

The seven wind tunnels are standardised for practical work and operate in the same way: “The surrounding air is sucked in and compressed to give it a certain speed over the measurement section,” explains Adrien Thacker, aerodynamics test bench engineer at DAEP. This measurement section, known as the test section, is the removable part of the wind tunnels. This is where a model is placed (cylinder, aircraft wing profile, miniature car, model aircraft, etc.) connected to pressure sensors or a balance that measures aerodynamic forces. Once the wind tunnel is running, the pressure or force measurement data is displayed on a screen.

Since this year, one of the wind tunnels has been reserved for small student projects. For example, Lucas Nouveau-Duquesnes, a student on an apprenticeship speciality engineering course, is measuring the speed of the vortices created at the tip of an aircraft wing, using a model that he has printed using 3D prototyping.

A team of four people (an engineer, two technicians and a fitter) is attached to the subsonic wind tunnels within DAEP’s technical group to ensure that this equipment works properly on a day-to-day basis. “Our role is to prepare and set up the metrological data acquisition chain: calibrating and wiring the instruments, programming their control, setting up the study models and ensuring that the installations are working properly, and finally checking the measurement data”, explains Adrien Thacker.

35 research projects per year

However, their work is far from routine! “As well as managing practical work for students and trainees in vocational training, we set up projects for lecturers and researchers.” These involve experimental installations and high-precision set-ups, which often force us to be innovative and go beyond what we have already achieved.” For example, to be able to recreate in a wind tunnel the effects of air flow disturbances on aircraft wings that they are trying to understand better.

No fewer than 35 research projects are carried out each year in DAEP’s wind tunnels and on its test benches by lecturer-researchers from the Institute. “And one week of testing means three months of preparation for the technical team. So we’re involved in the research projects, and that’s really exciting!”

Air conditioning systems: ISAE-SUPAERO and Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse join forces

Publication Date

22 January 2024

Category

Research

Tag

Chair

DAEP

Partnership

Closer collaboration

Working together to develop air-conditioning systems for the carbon-free aircraft of the future. Partners for 25 years, ISAE-SUPAERO and Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse strengthened their collaboration on 1 January as part of an industrial chair. This initiative, co-financed by the French National Research Agency (ANR), is designed to stimulate cooperation between public and private research bodies. Called CASTOR, “Chair for Radial Turbomachinery Aerodynamics”, it is scheduled to run for 4 years.

The aim? To make progress on the design of radial turbomachinery stages, which are at the heart of the air systems designed by Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse and in which ISAE-SUPAERO has cutting-edge skills and research infrastructures.

This work will give rise to three theses, two post-doctorates and the creation of a research engineer post, with the support of teams from the Aerodynamics, Energetics and Propulsion (DAEP) department at ISAE-SUPAERO and Liebherr Aerospace Toulouse. A doctoral student and a post-doctoral fellow are due to arrive at the ISAE-SUPAERO site in February. The total amount of €1.250 million, half from Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse and half from the ANR, will be used to finance equipment and subcontracting work.

Developing low-emission air conditioning systems for aircraft

In an aircraft, the air conditioning system regulates the pressurisation, temperature and renewal of the air in the cabin," explains Professor Nicolas Binder from DAEP. In other words, it is essential for passenger safety and comfort. Traditionally, compressed air is drawn from the engines to operate the system. But new carbon-free motorisation systems mean that independent air-conditioning systems have to be designed. To do this, we need to adapt the sizing of the components, which must satisfy new constraints. The research work of the CASTOR Chair is part of this development".

New low-carbon powertrain systems mean that independent air conditioning systems have to be designed. This means adapting the design of components to meet new constraints. The research work of the CASTOR Chair is part of this development.
Nicolas Binder – Lecturer and researcher at DAEP – ISAE-SUPAERO

Radial turbomachines are key components of the air conditioning system manufactured by Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse. They consist of turbine and compressor stages. In their design, it is crucial to finely optimise the shape of the blades to provide the best energy yields. And this applies regardless of the aircraft’s flight phase. “This requires a high degree of operating flexibility, without compromising performance,” explains Nicolas Binder. This design stage is vital if we are to offer aircraft manufacturers air conditioning systems that consume less energy for future low-emission aircraft.

The researchers will be exploring a number of avenues:

unconventional radial turbine configurations will be calculated and tested, to improve efficiency and operating ranges;
compressor stability will be assessed;
efforts will be devoted to advancing numerical and experimental methods.

The research initiated by the CASTOR Chair opens the way to numerous applications beyond the air transport sector. “A huge number of low-carbon systems involve this type of turbomachinery,” emphasises Nicolas Binder.

A win-win partnership

This Chair represents an opportunity for Liebherr Aerospace Toulouse and ISAE-SUPAERO to intensify their collaboration and structure a joint research programme.

It will enable Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse to mobilise and finance over the long term the cutting-edge skills present in ISAE-SUPAERO’s research laboratories, for the benefit of its future products. Thanks to this collaboration, the company will be able to continue to offer key technologies for the decarbonisation of aviation, with more efficient air systems that consume as little energy as possible for future aircraft.

For ISAE-SUPAERO, it symbolises the recognition of the relevance and applicability of the work of its research teams by the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. What’s more, the resulting substantial funding will enable the institute to develop its experimental and digital capabilities.

Ion propulsion, the genesis of emerging research

Publication Date

19 September 2023

Category

Research

Tag

DAEP

A matter of encounters

Can scientific curiosity, human encounters and chance be decisive factors in exploring a line of research hitherto neglected by the scientific community?

The work currently being carried out by Nicolas Binder in the Aerodynamics and Propulsion Department (DAEP) seems to support this hypothesis.

A specialist in fluid dynamics and aeronautical propulsion, the researcher first became interested out of scientific curiosity following the research work of a student engineer, Nicolas Monrolin (E2015).

“We weren’t working on the incremental aspects of a conventional engine, we were beyond that, and I was curious to see what would happen next”, Nicolas tells us. Then he kept in touch, because they got on well together and because their research work focused on breakthrough propulsion systems.

Then, in 2018, the researcher attended the brilliant thesis defence of his former student, now at the IMFT. A week after his thesis supervisor, Franck Plouraboué called ISAE-SUPAERO looking for a high-speed wind tunnel. After a number of unsuccessful attempts, he finally came across Nicolas Binder, the person in the lab interested in this disruptive work.

This thesis was the starting point for the creation of a real multi-physics electro-hydro-dynamics unit at DAEP. For me, at first it was a matter of scientific curiosity, then we started to work together, setting up projects in twos and then in threes with the Institut P' in Poitiers. We finally joined the European IPROP consortium on ionic propulsion with the École Polytechnique, the Van Kármán Institute in Belgium, the University of Milan, which was leading the project, and other Italian universities, to develop a complete line of research, and that's when things started to take off.

Nicolas Binder

The Institute as a benchmark in conventional propulsion

Expertise in conventional propulsion is one of the strengths of the Turbomachinery and Propulsion research group at DAEP. This expertise provides a reference base for assessing the performance of experiments.

The principle of ionic propulsion is to create a plasma around two electrodes of different sizes, between which a high voltage is applied. Ions escape from this plasma and are accelerated by the intense electric field towards the second electrode. These ions undergo a large number of collisions with the neutral air molecules, which slow them down, creating an ion cloud between the two electrodes. This electrically charged zone is the source of the thrust force applied to the electrodes. The aim of this research is to understand all the parameters that currently make this process ineffective. For the moment, this device generates a drag greater than the thrust it induces at modest flight speeds. There is a lot of work to be done on this subject to increase thrust density at low speeds, and above all to see if it develops favourably at high speeds, as the equations seem to show.

There is a chance that the thrust process is activated by the presence of the external flow at high speed, but we still need time to develop the measuring instrument, because this is truly exploratory research. Trying to measure this thrust at high speed has never been done before, and this test bench here at ISAE-SUPAERO is unique.

Nicolas Binder

IPROP, a European project to take things further

The IPROP project is part of the Horizon Europe Pathfinder framework, and aims to raise the level of maturity of atmospheric ion thrusters for aeronautics. Ionic thrusters, which have no moving parts, offer robustness and silent propulsion. This is an emerging field of investigation in the context of the electrification of aircraft and low-carbon air transport.

In the European consortium, ISAE-SUPAERO is responsible for the high-speed experimental part and is working closely with IMFT and Franck Plouraboué, who specialises in numerical simulation. In addition to this collaboration, the École Polytechnique is working on a new electrode device capable of sending more ions into the flow in an attempt to increase thrust density. These electrodes will be tested on the ISAE-SUPAERO test bench to carry out ambitious electric field measurements and laser measurements of the flow.

The French team is in charge of the external velocity coupling part of the flow and the development of new electrodes. Each team is developing its own specific area of expertise, which will be brought together at the ISAE-SUPAERO facility. Indications are beginning to emerge, and the trends are encouraging, but they are not yet precise enough to be published.

The other universities are working on the design of a small-scale demonstrator incorporating these optimised propulsion systems. Ultimately, the aim of the project is to design a full-scale stratospheric airship with a high degree of autonomy using solar-powered ion thrusters. These airships could replace many satellite functions, such as telecommunications or telediction, at lower cost and with the advantage of being recoverable, all with a reduced environmental impact.

If the initial results prove encouraging, it will then be possible to launch research into co-propulsion. The ionic system could be coupled to a conventional propulsion system, switched off at take-off and activated at altitude in cruise mode when thrust requirements are lower. It could reduce the need for internal combustion engines, whose efficiency could be greatly improved. But there are certainly many applications that we haven't yet thought of, which could be envisaged at high speed and high altitude.

Nicolas Binder

The study of this technology opens up a wide scientific field covering fundamental research into ion production, its coupling with airflow, electrode optimisation, aircraft integration, and even more if chance gets involved.

The Age of Pioneers: Reinventing Aviation with Hydrogen

Hydrogen: A Major Area of Innovation at ISAE-SUPAERO

Small but strategic: the Mermoz drone, a flying hydrogen laboratory

From gaseous hydrogen to liquid hydrogen

Combining science and testing to master the liquid hydrogen propulsion system

A three-pronged strategy supported by partners

Thermal management and energy optimisation of the propulsion system

On-board safety and operational safety

Mastering cryogenics in the context of aviation

The Mermoz drone takes to the skies

Experts Tackling the MERMOZ Challenge

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D2F Scientific Group

AEX Scientific Group

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35 research projects per year