Flight of the future – new Research Chair developing aerodynamic skin inspired by nature

A new five-year research project to develop tiny hair-like sensors for use on the surface of aircraft is set to improve the control and sustainability of future aviation. Professor Christoph Bruecker will hold the Research Chair in Nature-Inspired Sensing and Flow Control for Sustainable Transport at City, University of London, from 1 March 2017. Supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering and BAE Systems, the research aims to develop an aerodynamic ‘skin’ that can be evaluated for use on future aircraft. The research will bring together hundreds of tiny transparent ‘micro-pillars’ with optical fibres on an aerodynamic surface, providing a