Adaptive Tools for Electromagnetics and Materials Modelling to Bridge the Gap between Design and Manufacturing (AOTOMAT)

There is an industry-wide expectation that in order to meet the challenges laid out in the Horizon 2020 JTP document Clean Sky 2 (CS2), radically novel approaches are needed for the aircraft design, aerodynamics and the integration of novel functional and structural capabilities that together provide significant to savings weight and fuel. Current designs of communication system are based on non-conformal solutions and/or mechanically steerable antenna systems using mechanically steerable parabolic dishes (bulky) or phased arrays (expensive), both covered with excessive radomes. These solutions are protuberant, increasing aerodynamic drag, fuel consumption, visibility, and degrading handling qualities.

To enable this step change, seamlessly embedded antennas and communication systems are needed so that they become part of the aircraft fuselage, which are constructed using novel advanced materials. This concept presents a highly innovative but challenging objective since solutions must also be manufacturable at sensible cost while meeting structural and system functionalities. The electromagnetic challenge is to come up with a conformal embedded communication system design that does not degrade performance, and allows interoperability between multiple antennas on a single platform in the presence of structural materials. In addition, the effects of new functionalities on strict mechanical and safety performance must be considered, and MRO-based repair and maintenance must remain possible.

An adaptive approach to design is therefore required to optimize across (i) electromagnetic performance, (ii) aerodynamic performance based on realistic loads and non-linear vibrations and (iii) manufacturability, particularly drawing on latest 3D additive approaches to embedded functional materials. We aim to develop a novel computational tool-set that will be based on recent scientific advances in electromagnetics, atomistic-scale material and data-driven modelling both at the functional-structural dimensions and over the multi-scale geometric complexity. This deployment will provide robust design methodologies that can minimize the cost during the prototyping stage by providing results in a realistic time frame and will lead to optimal engineering designs in relation to aircraft that are ad hoc at best and heuristic at worst.

In excess of 58000 new commercial aircraft will be built over the period 2014 to 2033, according to the UK trade & investment report "Global Aerospace Outlook 2015". When coupled with the industry wide expectation that in order to meet the challenges laid out in the Horizon 2020 JPT document Clean Sky 2, radically novel approaches are needed for the aircraft design that will provide significant reductions in both weight and environmental noise. In order to balance these requirements with the ever increasing pressure of high-data rate communication, multi-functional, multi-band, frequency agile reconfigurable conformal embedded antennas will be needed. With it, the need for a novel antenna synthesis tool that will provide optimised realisable novel designs in a realistic time frame by iteratively and intelligently coupling system level design with material modelling and aerodynamic considerations. This will require the development and application of new theory, the creation of innovative computer-aided design tools, and the manufacture and characterisation of novel devices and systems enabled by the production of radically new materials. AOTOMAT will be the new standard in embedded conformal antenna design and synthesis, offering designers an unmatched combination of flexible design capabilities, concise and accessible information and exportable simulation models compatible with all major commercial EM software packages.

Designers will be able to select from a collection of proprietary pre-optimised antennas designs in order to minimise the risk of exceeding budget and time constraints at early stages of the design process. Custom designs capability will be an added feature with the numerical modelling hosted on a cloudcomputing platform, where a network of remote servers will be used to distribute, exchange and optimise the customised designs.

These concepts provide the UK with an opportunity to innovate, lead and manipulate the future of aircraft antenna system design while actively supporting some of the most successful companies in the UK economy (BAE systems and Cobham). Current communication equipment supply is dominated by two US suppliers; Rockwell Collins and Honeyell, however in order to meet the demand of future systems there is an opportunity to re-establish the UK communication equipment supplier as key player in the world market. The AOTOMAT programme is a critical step in re-balancing of the UK communication capability. From the UKs economic and social standpoint the application of radio alone contributes in excess of £13 billon to UK GDP and supports more than 400,000 jobs. The UK aerospace sector has a 17% global market share second only to the US and creates annual revenues of over £24 billon and exports circa 75% of output, making a positive contribution to the UK trade balance. The sector supports more than 3000 companies across the UK, directly employing 100,000 people and supporting additional 130,000 jobs indirectly "lifting off - implementing the vision of UK aerospace". Clean Sky 2 has been already endorsed and supported by the leading European aeronautic research organisations and academia with a total of £3 billon earmarked from public and private investment over the Horizon 2020 action, i.e 2014-2023. AOTOMAT will be the catalytic around which our industrial partners can make help ensure British aerospace maintain its leading position in the marketplace and capitalise on available Horizon 2020 funding. Ensuring retention and growth of highly skilled jobs and supporting UK's knowledge economy.