ICAS 2026 Key Topic Areas
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1. Aircraft Design and Integrated Systems
- Innovations for classical air vehicle configurations (commercial, military, general; fixed wing, rotorcraft, etc) from subsonic to hypersonic speeds
- Integrated designs focussing on top-level system objectives (uninhabited, VTOL, environmentally responsible, survivable, total lifecycle value), especially if addressing multiple, possibly conflicting objectives
- Design for electric or alternative fuel or propulsion concepts
- Unconventional aviation systems and concepts
- Advanced design tools and methodologies (MDO, digital twinning, PLM, etc – see also Manufacturing)
2. Systems Engineering and Integration
- Advances in systems engineering and integration
- Systems of Systems
- Integrated product and process development
- Innovations in engineering management
- Model-based and distributed development
- Industrial Internet of Things
3. Aerodynamics
- New insights into flow physics (all speed regimes; high angle-of-attack; unsteady flow; instability; transition and turbulence; shock waves; plasma and aerothermal effects; etc)
- Aeroacoustics and fluid-structure interaction
- Applied aerodynamics, especially for unconventional concepts
- Control of flow phenomena, loads and noise
- Measurement facilities, techniques and results (wind tunnel, acoustic and flight testing)
- Computational facilities, techniques and results (CFD and analytical approaches applied to representative flow regimes and configurations)
- Biologically inspired flight
4. Materials and Structures
- Properties and applications for novel materials (including those used by additive manufacture)
- Structural mechanics and dynamics, including dynamic/acoustic/impact loading and response
- Test facilities, techniques and results
- High temperature and hostile environments
- Fatigue and damage tolerance
- Smart structures and health monitoring
- Nanotechnology
5. Propulsion and Energy
- Classical propulsors and components (propellers, fans, inlets, nozzles, jets, ramjets, scramjets, etc)
- Propulsion / airframe integration
- Propulsion system acoustics and emissions
- Test facilities, techniques and results
- Electrical and alternative energy sources, propulsion systems and infrastructure
6. Flight Dynamics and Control
- Advances in flight dynamics and handling qualities
- New control techniques and systems
- System and parameter identification
- Flight testing and simulation techniques and results
- Performance and trajectory optimization
- Autonomy and AI-assisted control
7. Systems, Subsystems and Equipment
- Advances in, and optimisation of, classical aircraft systems (electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic; avionics, fuel, power generation and distribution, landing gear; ice, rain and lightning protection; cabin and hygiene; emergency)
- Integration of equipment systems
- Test facilities, techniques and results
- Advanced sensor systems
8. Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management
- Digital manufacturing (CAD/CAM, computer integrated manufacturing, digital twinning, VR/AR, cognitive manufacturing, product lifecycle management and other information system technology)
- Robotics, automation and assistive technologies
- Additive and other low-waste manufacturing
- Supply chain management
- Total quality management
- End-of-life management
9. Air Transport System Efficiency
- Aircraft operation and flight management
- ATM, airspace and airport capacity
- Mitigation of environmental and weather effects
- ATM for mitigating environmental impact
- New concepts for aerial mobility
- Intermodality and required physical/digital infrastructure
10. Safety and Security
- Accident prevention, survivability and crashworthiness
- Human factors
- Airworthiness and certification (see also Operations and Sustainment)
- Aviation medicine
- Physical security, airborne and on ground
- Cyber security during design, manufacture and operation
11. Operations and Sustainment
- Innovations in maintenance, repair, overhaul, logistics and through-life support
- Total lifecycle analysis
- Reliability and maintainability
- Condition-based maintenance, prognostics and big data
- Extreme environmental conditions
- Ageing aircraft: continuing airworthiness; systems and upgrades
- Customer and product support
12. Education and Training
- Design education
- Activities for students: hands-on and project work, including design, build and fly
- Continuing professional development, including digital upskilling
