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Faculty of Aerospace Engineering

Faculty of Aerospace Engineering

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News

Technological roadmap: how to accelerate the path towards carbon-free aviation

What are the potential technologies that can make aviation sustainable and environmentally friendly? Which ones are really promising? What research do we need to do and how can we speed up innovation?

Successful flight AeroDelft paves way for liquid hydrogen aviation

Student team AeroDelft has successfully performed the maiden flight of her prototype aircraft. And for the first time ever, the team taxied and revealed their manned full-scale aircraft which is scheduled to fly on liquid hydrogen by 2025. The students revealed these achievements during their annual ‘AeroDelft Summer-Event’ at Breda International Airport on the 7th of July. AeroDelft’s ambition to accelerate sustainable aviation is thereby truly gaining traction.

[Translate to English:]

AE successful in Open Technology Programme and Take-off NWO

Six technical-scientific research projects can get started with funding from the Open Technology Programme. In addition, 37 entrepreneurial scientists can research or make a step to the market with Take-off grants. Three projects, submitted by Roelof Vos, Julien van Campen and Erwin Mooij, are from Aerospace Engineering.

[Translate to English:]

Vidi for Axelle Viré and her floating wind turbines

Associate Professor Wind Energy Axelle Viré is one of two AE researchers who will receive a Vidi grant from the Dutch Research Council NWO. Viré has been awarded the Vidi grant for her research into floating offshore wind turbines.

[Translate to English:]

Vidi for Jeannette Heiligers and her space duster on sunlight

Assistant Professor Astrodynamics & Space Missions Jeannette Heiligers is one of two AE researchers who’ve been granted a Vidi grant by the Dutch Research Council NWO. Her proposal – called SWEEP - investigates the idea of a “shuttlebus” to clean up space debris.

[Translate to English:]

Vordering ‘slim én duurzaam’

In 2018 publiceerden twintig transportorganisaties en kennisinstellingen samen het actieplan ‘Slim en duurzaam’ om de CO2-uitstoot van de luchtvaart te reduceren. Daarna volgden twee aanvullingen om inzicht te geven in activiteiten en behaalde resultaten. Vandaag is er een derde actualisatie beschikbaar die de huidige stand van zaken weergeeft.

Wind energy top scientists together in Delft for TORQUE conference

From 1 – 3 June 2022 the TU Delft Wind Energy Institute and the European Academy of Wind Energy will organize the prestigious Science of Making Torque from Wind Conference (TORQUE) 2022 in Delft. Leading scientists in wind energy will share the latest insights and ground-breaking research and discuss the grand challenges in wind energy still to tackle.

[Translate to English:]

Self-flying drones that monitor greenhouse diseases and pests

TU Delft, Royal Brinkman and start-up Mapture have developed the next step in drone technology for agriculture. Their new AI-enabled drone takes off completely independently, flies over rows of plants and people in a greenhouse, takes high-resolution photos, and lands safely back on its charging station.

More efficient aircraft maintenance through AI

Maintaining aircraft fleets smarter and more efficiently using AI? With a major study of several European universities and industries (ReMAP) with TU Delft as project leader, a step has been taken in the modernization of aircraft maintenance using Artificial Intelligence.

> More news

Stories of Aerospace Engineering

[Translate to English:]

Learning to lead as a young woman in aviation

It takes guts to pursue your dreams, but having good role models and mentors can make a difference. These are things that have helped Leanne van Dam, a master’s student at TU Delft’s Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, on her journey to becoming a leader. A recipient of the 2021 International Aviation Women's Association (IAWA) scholarship, she hopes her example will inspire others to follow their dreams.

[Translate to English:]

The success of the Aerospace Innovation Hub: ‘It’s fantastic to see companies take off’

From satellites that are launched into outer space from an aeroplane to predicting ticket prices based on an algorithm: the companies that are part of the Aerospace Innovation Hub (AIH) at the TU Delft Campus are developing groundbreaking innovations in the area of aviation and aerospace. Femke Verdegaal, a member of management with shared responsibility for the growth of the initiative, talks about bringing together industry, science, start-ups, and students with the aim of promoting innovation in aviation and aerospace. ‘We really function as a springboard.’

[Translate to English:]

Smart certification for sustainable aviation

Rapid innovation is needed to reach the 2050 sustainability goals for the aviation sector. But rather than a lack of ideas, or the effort needed to bring these to fruition, the main bottleneck in reaching these goals are the existing, very lengthy certification procedures. Three TU Delft professors therefore propose a radically different approach towards certification in aviation.

Floating wind turbines change everything

In order to become climate neutral by 2050, the share of renewable energy generated at sea will need to increase significantly. Floating wind turbines, solar panels and tidal power plants will play a crucial role in this.

[Translate to English:]

Taking wind energy research to new heights with open-source software

Mark Schelbergen, PhD candidate at the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, researches airborne wind energy (AWE) systems, a novel type of wind energy converter which is an alternative to the traditional tower-based wind turbines. To build a full picture of how much wind energy AWE systems can potentially harvest, Mark needs software to gain insights from publicly available wind datasets.

[Translate to English:]

Delft researcher streamlines the path to Olympic success

Imagine being able to launch a satellite that would fit in your pocket and send it into space. It wouldn't only be cheap, it would also enable whole swarms of satellites to work together. A swarm would give a much clearer picture of the radiation in space and the atmosphere around planet Earth. Early January 2022 the mini satellite of Alessandra Menicucci’s team was launched with a Falcon 9 rocket in the Transporter-3 mission of SpaceX from Cape Canaveral. The team hopes they will be able to breathe life into one of the world’s smallest satellites in space.

[Translate to English:]

The birth of the Delfi-PQ mini satellite

Imagine being able to launch a satellite that would fit in your pocket and send it into space. It wouldn't only be cheap, it would also enable whole swarms of satellites to work together. A swarm would give a much clearer picture of the radiation in space and the atmosphere around planet Earth. Early January 2022 the mini satellite of Alessandra Menicucci’s team was launched with a Falcon 9 rocket in the Transporter-3 mission of SpaceX from Cape Canaveral. The team hopes they will be able to breathe life into one of the world’s smallest satellites in space.

[Translate to English:]

Looking over the shoulder of the pilot of a Flying-V

The first scale model test proved last year that the Flying-V is an airworthy, stable and controllable aircraft. In early November, it was time for the next step: the first simulator flight. Test pilot Thibaut Cappuyns had the honour of taking control of the stick of the SIMONA simulator. The pilot's experience of this revolutionary type of aircraft is crucial.

[Translate to English:]

Stronger together: Swarm mini-drones sniff out gas leaks

Developing drones that are smaller and lighter than normal drones but still capable of performing the same tasks – Bart Duisterhof has succeeded in doing just that, and has been named Best Graduate in the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering. For his Master’s thesis, he developed smart mini-drones that can independently detect gas leaks. “If you’re not afraid of thinking outside the box, you can reach solutions that you might not otherwise have thought of.”

[Translate to English:]

Heading for space to save the Earth

A membrane the size of the European continent. Together with other scientists, TU Delft researcher Jeannette Heiligers is currently exploring the possibilities for positioning a gigantic solar shield in space to combat global warming. A huge intervention which is not without its own issues.

[Translate to English:]

Ir. Koo Siu Ling, the first female Aerospace Engineer in the Netherlands

The first woman to graduate from our faculty, then known as ‘Vliegtuigbouwkunde’ (Aeronautical engineering) was Koo Siu Ling. She was an international student from Indonesia of Chinese descent. When she registered to study ‘Vliegtuigbouwkunde’, it made the newspapers, both in the Netherlands and in Indonesia. She would start her studies in 1956 at the age of 16.

Is hydrogen-powered air travel the future?

Hydrogen is a sustainable alternative to kerosene-powered air travel because there are no CO₂ emissions. But hydrogen is also associated with challenges and risks, such as the danger of explosion. TU Delft scientist Dr. Ivan Langella aims to use mathematical models, high-fidelity computational simulations and experiments to develop a zero-emission hydrogen-powered engine that will enable aircraft to fly safely and efficiently.

> All Stories of AE

Join us for a lab tour

Join us on a virtual lab tour to get to know some of our people and experience the labs they work in.

Climate neutral aviation? Now boarding!

Visit our sustainable aviation website to find out how do we work on making aviation sustainable.

August

Colloquium: Koen den Hertog (C&O)

September

Thesis defence M.A.M. Folkersma

Thesis defence S. di Mascio

Thesis defence L. Falcão Loureiro Rêgo

Calendar

Technological roadmap: how to accelerate the path towards carbon-free aviation

What are the potential technologies that can make aviation sustainable and environmentally friendly? Which ones are really promising? What research do we need to do and how can we speed up innovation?

Successful flight AeroDelft paves way for liquid hydrogen aviation

Student team AeroDelft has successfully performed the maiden flight of her prototype aircraft. And for the first time ever, the team taxied and revealed their manned full-scale aircraft which is scheduled to fly on liquid hydrogen by 2025. The students revealed these achievements during their annual ‘AeroDelft Summer-Event’ at Breda International Airport on the 7th of July. AeroDelft’s ambition to accelerate sustainable aviation is thereby truly gaining traction.

[Translate to English:]

AE successful in Open Technology Programme and Take-off NWO

Six technical-scientific research projects can get started with funding from the Open Technology Programme. In addition, 37 entrepreneurial scientists can research or make a step to the market with Take-off grants. Three projects, submitted by Roelof Vos, Julien van Campen and Erwin Mooij, are from Aerospace Engineering.

[Translate to English:]

Vidi for Axelle Viré and her floating wind turbines

Associate Professor Wind Energy Axelle Viré is one of two AE researchers who will receive a Vidi grant from the Dutch Research Council NWO. Viré has been awarded the Vidi grant for her research into floating offshore wind turbines.

More news

Climate neutral aviation? Now boarding!

Visit our sustainable aviation website to find out how do we work on making aviation sustainable.

Join us for a lab tour

Join us on a virtual lab tour to get to know some of our people and experience the labs they work in.

Stories of Aerospace Engineering

[Translate to English:]

Learning to lead as a young woman in aviation

It takes guts to pursue your dreams, but having good role models and mentors can make a difference. These are things that have helped Leanne van Dam, a master’s student at TU Delft’s Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, on her journey to becoming a leader. A recipient of the 2021 International Aviation Women's Association (IAWA) scholarship, she hopes her example will inspire others to follow their dreams.

[Translate to English:]

The success of the Aerospace Innovation Hub: ‘It’s fantastic to see companies take off’

From satellites that are launched into outer space from an aeroplane to predicting ticket prices based on an algorithm: the companies that are part of the Aerospace Innovation Hub (AIH) at the TU Delft Campus are developing groundbreaking innovations in the area of aviation and aerospace. Femke Verdegaal, a member of management with shared responsibility for the growth of the initiative, talks about bringing together industry, science, start-ups, and students with the aim of promoting innovation in aviation and aerospace. ‘We really function as a springboard.’

[Translate to English:]

Smart certification for sustainable aviation

Rapid innovation is needed to reach the 2050 sustainability goals for the aviation sector. But rather than a lack of ideas, or the effort needed to bring these to fruition, the main bottleneck in reaching these goals are the existing, very lengthy certification procedures. Three TU Delft professors therefore propose a radically different approach towards certification in aviation.

Floating wind turbines change everything

In order to become climate neutral by 2050, the share of renewable energy generated at sea will need to increase significantly. Floating wind turbines, solar panels and tidal power plants will play a crucial role in this.

[Translate to English:]

Taking wind energy research to new heights with open-source software

Mark Schelbergen, PhD candidate at the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, researches airborne wind energy (AWE) systems, a novel type of wind energy converter which is an alternative to the traditional tower-based wind turbines. To build a full picture of how much wind energy AWE systems can potentially harvest, Mark needs software to gain insights from publicly available wind datasets.

[Translate to English:]

Delft researcher streamlines the path to Olympic success

Imagine being able to launch a satellite that would fit in your pocket and send it into space. It wouldn't only be cheap, it would also enable whole swarms of satellites to work together. A swarm would give a much clearer picture of the radiation in space and the atmosphere around planet Earth. Early January 2022 the mini satellite of Alessandra Menicucci’s team was launched with a Falcon 9 rocket in the Transporter-3 mission of SpaceX from Cape Canaveral. The team hopes they will be able to breathe life into one of the world’s smallest satellites in space.

[Translate to English:]

The birth of the Delfi-PQ mini satellite

Imagine being able to launch a satellite that would fit in your pocket and send it into space. It wouldn't only be cheap, it would also enable whole swarms of satellites to work together. A swarm would give a much clearer picture of the radiation in space and the atmosphere around planet Earth. Early January 2022 the mini satellite of Alessandra Menicucci’s team was launched with a Falcon 9 rocket in the Transporter-3 mission of SpaceX from Cape Canaveral. The team hopes they will be able to breathe life into one of the world’s smallest satellites in space.

[Translate to English:]

Looking over the shoulder of the pilot of a Flying-V

The first scale model test proved last year that the Flying-V is an airworthy, stable and controllable aircraft. In early November, it was time for the next step: the first simulator flight. Test pilot Thibaut Cappuyns had the honour of taking control of the stick of the SIMONA simulator. The pilot's experience of this revolutionary type of aircraft is crucial.

[Translate to English:]

Stronger together: Swarm mini-drones sniff out gas leaks

Developing drones that are smaller and lighter than normal drones but still capable of performing the same tasks – Bart Duisterhof has succeeded in doing just that, and has been named Best Graduate in the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering. For his Master’s thesis, he developed smart mini-drones that can independently detect gas leaks. “If you’re not afraid of thinking outside the box, you can reach solutions that you might not otherwise have thought of.”

[Translate to English:]

Heading for space to save the Earth

A membrane the size of the European continent. Together with other scientists, TU Delft researcher Jeannette Heiligers is currently exploring the possibilities for positioning a gigantic solar shield in space to combat global warming. A huge intervention which is not without its own issues.

[Translate to English:]

Ir. Koo Siu Ling, the first female Aerospace Engineer in the Netherlands

The first woman to graduate from our faculty, then known as ‘Vliegtuigbouwkunde’ (Aeronautical engineering) was Koo Siu Ling. She was an international student from Indonesia of Chinese descent. When she registered to study ‘Vliegtuigbouwkunde’, it made the newspapers, both in the Netherlands and in Indonesia. She would start her studies in 1956 at the age of 16.

Is hydrogen-powered air travel the future?

Hydrogen is a sustainable alternative to kerosene-powered air travel because there are no CO₂ emissions. But hydrogen is also associated with challenges and risks, such as the danger of explosion. TU Delft scientist Dr. Ivan Langella aims to use mathematical models, high-fidelity computational simulations and experiments to develop a zero-emission hydrogen-powered engine that will enable aircraft to fly safely and efficiently.

> All Stories of AE

August

Colloquium: Koen den Hertog (C&O)

September

Thesis defence M.A.M. Folkersma

Thesis defence S. di Mascio

Thesis defence L. Falcão Loureiro Rêgo

Thesis defence Y. Fu

Calendar

Study at the faculty of Aerospace Engineering

Find out more about studying at our faculty.

Climate neutral aviation? Now boarding!

Visit our sustainable aviation website to find out how do we work on making aviation sustainable.

Working at the faculty

Here's an overview of our current vacancies.

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