Developing the next generation of wind tunnel testing technologies for future aircraft concepts – that is the goal of the FUTURE project, which also includes VZLU AEROSPACE. The project aims, among other things, to ensure that the European testing infrastructure is able to respond to new aircraft design requirements. It focuses primarily on breakthrough aircraft concepts like hybrid-electric distributed propulsion. The successful development and verification of these new technologies depend, among other things, on the capabilities of the test infrastructure. Modern wind tunnels equipped with testing and measurement methods are therefore essential for the development and certification of future transport aircraft.
VZLU AEROSPACE brings to the project experience and expertise in advanced wind tunnel model manufacturing, digital-twin-based virtual testing, aeroelastic model development, CFD support for propulsion–airframe integration, and innovative deformation measurement techniques. We also lead activities focused on accelerating model development, improving test accuracy, and enabling more efficient validation of future aircraft configurations.
The project connects 16 entities from across Europe – research centers and organizations, universities and small and medium-sized enterprises. It is funded by the Horizon Europe program and supports the Fly the Green Deal initiative, which aims to achieve climate-neutral aviation. The project started in June 2026 and will last four years.
More about the project: https://future-project.eu/
Photo credit: FUTURE project
