Airbus // Universal Registration Document 2021
1. Information on the Company’s Activities / 1.3 Other Corporate Activities
securing continuous improvement in divisional competitiveness and the ability to develop business. Within the Company, commercial specif ic priority is given to technologies for sustainable next-generation aircraft, bringing together product, production system and services. In order to maximise the Company’s R&T activities, the Divisions leverage the external ecosystem, utilising the portfolio of projects for funding opportunities and engagement with global partnerships, research institutes and universities. This ensures efficient R&T portfolio execution, and benefits from new ways of working including but not limited to agile methodology and minimum viable product demonstration strategy. Responsibilities include securing continuous improvement in divisional competitiveness and the ability to develop business by establishing and driving the Company’s R&T ambitions. Fast-track roadmap owners serve as principal advisors to the CTO on technical vision and roadmaps for associated technology areas. Fast-track roadmaps ensure coherency in the portfolio of activities and for the rapid advance of strategic priorities. Current fast-track roadmaps cover: – – electrification; – – industrial systems and manufacturing; – – connectivity; The Company’s intellectual property is protected, secured and defended through a central intellectual property function responsible for patent applications, portfolio investigations and portfolio defence. Technological innovation and outreach to expertise in specific regions is delivered through three units: Acubed in Silicon Valley; Airbus Innovation Centre in China; and Airbus Scale, bringing together corporate innovation, start-up engagement and company building activities. Airbus UpNext is actively shaping the future of the aerospace industry as part of the Airbus innovation ecosystem by building demonstrators at speed and scale, in order to evaluate, mature and validate potential new products and services that encompass radical technological breakthroughs. The fello’fly demonstrator, with the objective to prove the technical, operational and economic viability of wake energy retrieval for commercial aircraft, was successfully handed over from Airbus UpNext to Airbus Commercial in December 2021. This was done after the project had successfully performed the first long-haul demonstration of formation flight in general air traffic (GAT) regulated transatlantic airspace, with two A350 aircraft flying at three kilometres apart from Toulouse, France to Montreal, Canada. The aircraft were greeted at Montreal- Trudeau International Airport. Over six tons of CO 2 emissions were saved on the trip, confirming the potential for more than a 5% fuel saving on long-haul flights. The Airbus UpNext TELEO demonstrator project proved the feasibility to provide a communications experience in the air at the same level of quality as customers have come to – – autonomy; – – materials; – – artificial intelligence. Key Progress in 2021 Airbus Demonstrators – Airbus UpNext
future. Cybersecurity will continue to boost its ability to handle future threats by deploying cutting-edge organisation and technologies, which will bolster measures to prevent incidents across the group. The journey will be also coloured by “green” IT, so contributing to a sustainable decarbonised future. The digital potential for continuity and end-to-end industrial resilience has been demonstrated for two years in a row. Nevertheless, the possibilities have to be further implemented. We progressed a lot in setting the ground for the “cloud” shift and in better understanding how our already efficient industry can be improved even further. There are still margins to be tackled where digital has a major role to play to make Airbus ready to shape the future of the aerospace industry. These initiatives will continue to succeed if they are addressed in a transverse, open and bold way, by taking an even closer, more granular and at the same time holistic view of the entire ecosystem. What will make the difference is our readiness to take a pragmatic look at them and to act collectively and collaboratively. Research and Technology The Airbus Engineering and Technology Department is led by the Chief Technical Officer (“CTO”). Part of its responsibility is to define, deliver and protect all the Company’s research and technology (“R&T”), enable technology synergies across the group, federate the Company’s innovation activities and ensure expertise in breakthrough technologies. The department applies a lean project-based approach, tracked and managed using earned value management, technology readiness levels and figures of merit. Technological collaboration with external research communities and par tners is encouraged and coordinated through the department with technical and scientific experts. These duties are delivered through the capabilities outlined here below. The Company-wide integration of R&T technology and alignment with institutional research partners is achieved through cross- portfolio technology planning and roadmapping, giving an exhaustive view of technology targets and investments. In addition, Company-wide engagement for joint funding with public agencies is achieved through a common R&T Funding contract management. Central R&T (“ CRT ”) is the cross-divisional R&T organisation that prepares the Company’s long-term technological capabilities. CRT leads specific investigations in emerging areas of research and conducts ambitious research projects while leveraging leading academic, scientific and research institutions to best utilise their expertise for achieving the Company’s ambitions. Development of selected breakthrough technologies is accelerated through Airbus demonstrators, by employing rapid maturation methods. This function delivers, thanks to its fully owned Airbus UpNext subsidiary, flight and ground demonstrator projects that drive collaborative new ways of working, provide the highest level of transparency and challenge the status quo by embedding Airbus’ technology DNA in a highly dynamic environment. Each Division has its own R&T function, defining and delivering the divisional projects. The divisional R&T functions are primarily planning, decision making and arbitration teams, which are accountable within their perimeters to both Technology, Divisional Engineering and Product Strategy. Their responsibilities include
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Airbus / Registration Document 2021
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