We develop enabling technologies for next generation air transportation systems at the aircraft and airframe level and at the system level.
We are an Australian leader in aerospace engineering and aviation research, with Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA 2018) rating RMIT at "well above world standard" for aerospace engineering. Our research has an integrated engineering approach to systems development, operations and life-cycle management across three main areas: aviation, urban transport systems, and integrated transport logistics and life-cycle management.
Capabilities
Our research activity encompasses four capability areas, each supporting several key technologies.
Aerospace materials and multifunctional composite structures
- Through-life support of ageing airframes and life cycle cost
- Integrity assessment and airworthiness
- Damage tolerance, progression and failure
- Structural health monitoring
- Robust design and optimisation
- Smart materials and structures
Unmanned aircraft systems design and field operations
- Architecture and system design autonomy
- Flight operations and airworthiness
- New generation from bio-inspired and MAV to high-altitude long endurance UAS
- UAS integration, sense and avoid
- Safety and regulations
Aerodynamic loading and multidisciplinary design and optimisation
- Flow-structure – fluid-structure interaction and hydrodynamics
- Aeroservoelasticity and vibration suppression
- Advanced solutions to enhance air-platforms performance including manoeuvrability and control effectiveness
- System identification
- Energy harvesting
- Hypersonics
Avionics, air traffic management and mission systems
- Future ATM and avionics systems (CNS+A)
- Key technology enablers and systems for a sustainable aviation
- Mission systems for civil and military aviation
- Human factors engineering solutions
- Sensors, multi sensor systems and data fusion
- Intelligent Transport Systems
Our impact
We work with a range of Australian and global organisations to provide innovative solutions across civil and defence industries. Our partners include:
- ACS Australia
- Airbus
- Air Force (USA)
- Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB)
- Boeing Aerostructures and Boeing Defence
- Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA)
- Capability, Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG)
- Defence Aviation Safety Authority (DASA)
- Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG)
- Defence Science Institute (DSI)
- DefendTex
- Department of Defence (Australia)
- Department of Defence (USA)
- Flight Data Systems
- Ford Motor Company
- General Electric
- LEAP Australia
- Lockheed Martin
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
- Northrop Grumman
- Pratt and Whitney
- Thales
Highlights of our current research include:
- multidisciplinary design and optimisation
- development of hydrocarbon fuel system for hypersonic airbreathing vehicles
- development of rotating detonation engines for hypersonic vehicles
- cognitive human-machine interface and interaction for ATM systems
- cost-benefit assessment of future aerospace concepts for defence
- virtual prototyping, digital twin and digital thread
- bragg-grating fiber laser ultrasonic sensors for structural health monitoring
- improved autonomous surveillance for UAV flight in complex urban terrains
- submarine dynamics and control
- innovative multi-physics approach to individual aircraft tracking and aircraft sustainment
- fatigue and structural and material experimentation
Research centres and groups
Our expertise and facilities contribute to many research organisations across Australia.
- ARC Training Centre for Lightweight Automotive Structures
- Defence Materials Technology Centre (DMTC)
- Intelligent Mobility and Vehicle Evolutions (iMOVE) CRC
- LMS Noise Vibration Harshness Centre of Expertise
- Sir Lawrence Wackett Centre
- Cyber-Physical Systems Group
- DST Group HA WILLS Structures and Materials Test Centre
Facilities
Our work is supported by major state-of-the-art research infrastructure.
- Advanced Manufacturing Precinct
- Composite Fabrication Facility
- Green Engines Laboratory
- Aerospace Intelligent and Autonomous Systems Laboratory
- Flight Simulators
- Unmanned Aircraft Systems Laboratory
- Wind tunnels
- Noise Vibration Harshness Laboratory
Who we are
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