3D-printed metal parts for lighter, consolidated, and repairable systems.
Evidence standards for safety, accountability, and limitations of autonomy.
Onboard/connected decision aids for checklists, energy, and abnormal handling.
Machine learning systems for dynamic airspace optimization and routing.
Optimization for crew, aircraft, and passenger recovery during irregular ops.
Robotics for baggage, cargo, cleaning, inspection, and ground support.
Managing workload, mode confusion, and manual flying proficiency over time.
Heavy-lift unmanned aerial vehicles for middle-mile logistics.
Advanced surface surveillance and guidance to reduce incursions and delays.
Security-by-design for aircraft systems, connectivity, and supply chains.
Managing employment, retraining, and equity as automation scales.
Seamless identity verification balancing efficiency with privacy concerns.
Step-change aerodynamic efficiency through radical aircraft geometry.
Immutable ledgers for parts traceability, maintenance records, and AOG logistics.
Direct neural control and cognitive monitoring for next-gen pilots.
Ultra-high-temperature materials enabling hotter, more efficient engines.
End-of-life recycling, remanufacturing, and material recovery for airframes.
High-altitude experience flights blurring the line between aviation and space.
Real-time noise mapping, complaint resolution, and transparent operations data.
Route and altitude optimization to reduce non-CO₂ climate forcing.
Technologies to detect and mitigate unauthorized drone activity near airports.
Virtual replicas of aircraft for predictive health monitoring and simulation.
Multiple small electric motors for boundary layer ingestion and control.
UAS inspection for runways, lighting, bridges, and aircraft exterior checks.
Low-latency inference at the aircraft for safety-critical autonomy functions.
Taxi without main engines to cut fuel, noise, and emissions on the ground.
Silent, solid-state propulsion using ionic wind instead of moving parts.
Mathematical verification to reduce defects in airborne software.
High-bandwidth, jam-resistant laser links for in-flight connectivity.
Ensuring inclusive aviation growth in underserved regions and the Global South.
Detection/mitigation of jamming and spoofing plus alternative PNT.
Managing electricity demand, renewable pairing, and grid stability.
Stratospheric platforms for persistent communication, surveillance, and Earth observation.
Rapid-deploy cargo drones, airships, and eVTOL for crisis response.
Turbo-electric and serial/parallel hybrids reducing fuel burn and emissions.
Cryogenic storage, liquefaction, dispensing, and safety systems at airports.
Zero-emission propulsion systems utilizing hydrogen fuel cells for aviation.
Mach 5+ aircraft and reusable suborbital systems for intercontinental rapid transit.
Drag-reduction via natural laminar flow, suction, and active flow control.
Cryogenic tanks, insulation, and fuel handling for hydrogen-powered aircraft.
Near-real-time hazard prediction using radar, satellite, and aircraft data.
Hybrid airships for heavy-lift to remote sites without runways.
Adaptive wing designs that change shape in real-time for optimal aerodynamics.
LEO/MEO/GEO connectivity and A2G links for resilient flight operations.
Epidemiological research linking aviation noise to cardiovascular and mental health outcomes.
Operational and regulatory approaches for contrails, NOx, and water vapor.
On-device and cryptographic methods to verify travelers without over-collecting data.
Quantum computing algorithms for solving complex routing and scheduling problems.
Zero/low-emission 9–50 seat aircraft for short-haul routes.
Camera-and-sensor towers enabling remote ATC services and resiliency.
Bio-mimetic composites that automatically repair micro-cracks and damage.
Human-machine teaming to enable safe cargo/commercial flights with reduced crew.
Preventing compromise of avionics and ground systems via dependencies.
High-density energy storage for extended range electric flight.
Multifunctional airframe materials that double as batteries or supercapacitors.
Lightweight, ultra-high power density propulsion for MW-class hybrid systems.
Next-generation quiet supersonic flight for rapid global connectivity.
Drop-in low-carbon fuels (bio-SAF, power-to-liquid synthetic kerosene).
Distributed control for large fleets of cooperative autonomous aircraft.
Standardized aviation data exchange across stakeholders.
Next-gen composite manufacturing enabling faster builds and circularity.
Time-based, intent-driven ATM to increase capacity and predictability.
Next-gen propulsion architectures targeting step-change efficiency.
On-demand electric air taxi networks for intra-city transportation.
Infrastructure for scaling eVTOL operations in cities worldwide.
Automated formation flying to harvest lift from leading aircraft.
VR/AR/MR systems reducing sim time and enabling mission rehearsal anywhere.
