| Gliding Laboratory.
Breakthrough Technologies.
Responsible Innovation.
Atmospheric Sciences.
Education.
Digital Twins, AI, Simulation, Extended Reality. Engineer of The Future.
We explore how next-generation software technologies are transforming engineering processes. By integrating AI, digital twins, extended reality, advanced simulation and HPC into our development workflows, we investigate new ways of designing, modelling and optimizing complex systems. These technologies can dramatically reduce computation times, accelerate design iterations and improve the ability to evaluate multiple solutions before physical testing. Our sailplanes provide a real-world environment to develop and validate these next-generation engineering processes — contributing to the emergence of the engineer of tomorrow.
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The future of engineering is not about replacing the physical world with the digital one, but connecting both to design, test and validate faster and better.
Aerodynamics, Advanced Materials, Energy Systems.
We also investigate the physical technologies that will shape the aircraft of tomorrow: advanced aerodynamics, next-generation materials and more efficient energy systems. From aerodynamic optimization to materials combining increased performance with lower environmental impact and improved recyclability, we explore new approaches to system design and manufacturing. Our research also addresses the entire energy chain, from storage and conversion to electric propulsion, with the objective of developing systems that are more efficient, quieter and cleaner. Each solution is ultimately confronted with real-world conditions, where performance, reliability and environmental impact can be measured and validated.
Eco-Design.
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Responsible innovation is reliable technological development, guided by democratic values, sensitive to social needs, and accountable to society. Adopting a responsible innovation approach to technology development can help align research and commercialization with societal needs.
- Source : OCDE
Integrating environmental criteria from the earliest development stages in order to reduce a product’s impact throughout its entire life cycle.
This approach often relies on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a rigorous method that quantitatively evaluates environmental impacts from raw material extraction to end-of-life, including manufacturing, distribution, and use. LCA is governed by international standards that ensure a transparent methodology.
This process goes beyond simply reducing impacts: certain products, referred to as net positive impact products, generate greater environmental benefits during their use than the emissions produced during their design and manufacturing.
Responsible Innovation.
Responsible innovation involves developing new solutions that genuinely serve progress, rather than creating novelty for its own sake. This approach aims to anticipate long-term effects, reduce risks, and ensure that innovations address real needs, rather than fleeting trends. It also encourages transparency, consultation with stakeholders, and rigorous impact assessments, so that every technological advancement aligns with the collective good. In this sense, responsible innovation becomes a powerful lever for guiding businesses toward more sustainable and meaningful development.
Atmospheric Sciences.
It studies the physical and chemical processes that control the composition, dynamics, and evolution of air, particularly convection and energy exchanges that influence atmospheric circulation and stability. This allows us to predict thermals, phenomena directly linked to vertical movements induced by ground heating or the effects of terrain, which enable gliders to travel thousands of kilometers at average speeds of over 150 km/h without using a single gram of fuel. To understand and quantify these mechanisms, the discipline employs advanced observation techniques: satellites, radar, lidar, weather balloons, and ground-based networks, which together constitute atmospheric metrology. These tools make it possible to monitor air quality, detect sources of pollution, and guide environmental management.
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Météo-France and other meteorological services around the world constantly observe the Earth and measure its atmospheric parameters. Satellites are essential in this race to forecast the weather and prevent dangerous phenomena: knowledge of the state of the atmosphere is the basis of all forecasting.
- Source : Météo-France
Climate Science.
Our understanding of climate is essential to improving the ability to predict future climate through numerical models and long-term observations.
By anticipating these changes, climatology makes it possible to assess the potential socio-economic impacts, whether in terms of water resources, agriculture, health or natural risks.
It thus provides decision-makers with tools to plan, adapt and reduce the vulnerability of societies to climate change.
Making science accessible from a young age.
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We look at science as something very elite, which only a few people can learn. That's just not true. You just have to start early and give kids a foundation. Kids live up, or down, to expectations.
- Mae Jemison
Popularizing science from a young age is essential to stimulating curiosity and developing critical thinking. Carl Sagan, the renowned scientist, emphasized the role of wonder: "Science is more than just a body of knowledge; it is a way of thinking." Early science communication thus prepares tomorrow's citizens to understand technological and environmental challenges, while reducing inequalities in access to scientific culture. It also fosters vocations and inspires future scientific careers, contributing to a more informed and responsible society.
Universities, Engineering Schools, Research Laboratories.
The inventors of tomorrow's world.
A central role in building tomorrow's innovations by training creative and expert minds capable of meeting technological and scientific challenges.
They produce fundamental and applied knowledge, while developing prototypes and concrete solutions from research.
By fostering collaborations between academia, industry and startups, these institutions transform ideas into innovations that are useful for society and the economy.
They thus constitute an essential driver of progress, stimulating sustainable and responsible innovation.