TWINNING FOR EXCELLENCE IN MORPHING AND AERO-MECHATRONIC WING CONTROL: A LEAP TOWARDS ECO-SMART AVIATION

Sustainable aviation is an important part of the European Green Deal program. A significant way to achieve this is by reducing wing aerodynamic drag and loading. An attractive approach to this is through wing shape morphing, aeroelastic control, and lightweight structures.

However, morphing requires low wing stiffness, aeroelastic control requires high wing stiffness, and lightweight structures require different composite materials.

The MechaTwing project aims to resolve these contradictions by introducing a new, innovative design of a MechaTronic Wing, using the scientific and innovative competencies of project partners in disciplines such as Aeronautics, Mechatronics, Structural Design, Material Mechanics, Additive Technologies, and Robotics.

Around this research topic as the backbone, the twinning activities between the Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU) and three top aerospace research institutions (the German Aerospace Center, Politecnico di Torino, and Technische Universitt Wien) are organized.

The main MechaTwing objective is to bolster CTU's excellence capacity and resources, thereby closing the still apparent research and innovation gap within the EU.

CTU aims to achieve this through a targeted knowledge exchange with project partners, institutions renowned for their substantial industry alignment and collaboration.

This will involve the secondments of 11 CTU researchers and students and 4 administrative workers to these institutions, exposing them to state-of-the-art practices. Expert mentoring will further support CTU's early-stage researchers and research support staff. The project partners will send specialists to CTU, enhancing its academic environment.

CTU will also conduct workshops and seminars to integrate new knowledge and techniques.

By incorporating CzechInvest as an associated partner, the consortium will enhance CTU's efforts to strengthen its relationships with both local and international business and investment communities.