Innovation

Enabling Radical Innovations in Aviation

Design, Design Research, Innovation, System-of-systems, Systems Engineering

The aviation industry is committed to curbing its aircraft emissions with ambitious targets, but radical innovations beyond incremental improvements of aircraft and engine efficiency and the use of alternative fuels are needed to achieve these targets. However, it is asserted that radical innovations are no longer readily encouraged in aircraft design and developments within the aviation industry. Specifically, aircraft development methodologies, while having matured significantly within the industry, are focused on supporting incremental innovations and therefore deemed to be weak in creativity and inventiveness. This article aims to present substantiations to this assertion by describing the state of modern aircraft design methodologies, the areas that could be improved to facilitate radical innovations, and a Novelty-focused Aircraft Design Framework (NOVAC) which is aimed at addressing the identified areas of improvement.

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eVTOL aircraft design configurations and method of categorization

AAM, Advanced Air Mobility, eVTOL, Innovation, Sustainability

Several different eVTOL aircraft designs have emerged across the globe to serve Advanced Air Mobility; however, there is yet to be an international consensus on the taxonomy for such designs. This short article reviews some methods for eVTOL aircraft categorization and presents how some of the existing and emerging eVTOL aircraft designs could be distinguished according to a specific method of categorization.

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An Air Transportation System-of-Systems Model

Innovation, Systems Engineering

An aircraft is but one of multiple systems within an overarching air transportation system-of-systems (ATS) influenced by multiple stakeholders and external political, economic sociological, legal, technological, and environmental scenario factors. Gosh et al, illustrate the ATS using an Atomic Model, which helps to visualize the multiple elements and the complexity of the air transportation system-of-systems. This short exposition introduces the ATS Atomic Model as developed by Gosh et al. and suggests an enhanced version of the Atomic Model to add stakeholders and clarify the relationships of the stakeholders in what is deemed to be a more holistic model of the ATS.

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Exploring the use of TRIZ to define an innovation search-space for electric motors.

Electric Motor, Innovation

The use of the TRIZ method as a systematic means for innovation, especially in defining an innovation search space, has attracted industrial interest. While the TRIZ method for systematic innovation has been demonstrated on various products, there are no documented studies of the method being applied to electric motors. Electric motors are of great interest in the industry today due to their role in reducing global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. This paper explores applying the TRIZ method to electric motors to define an innovation search space. Specifically, it uses an extended definition of the TRIZ trends of evolution against a list of available patents from the last five years. In employing this method, this study has identified several potential Trends of Evolution in electric motors that could be considered underdeveloped and an opportunity for further innovation.

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