Airbus // Universal Registration Document 2023
1. Information on the Company’s Activities 1.3 Other corporate activities
and ensure expertise in breakthrough technologies. The R&T Programme department applies a lean project-based approach, and encourages and coordinates technological collaboration with external research communities and partners, including technical and scientific experts. These duties are delivered through the capabilities further outlined below. The Company-wide integration of R&T and alignment with institutional research partners is achieved through cross portfolio technology planning and road mapping, giving a comprehensive 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. Specific cross-divisional activities are delivered through the Disruptive R&T department consisting of: – – Central R&T (“ CRT ”): 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; – –Demonstrators (UpNext): 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 very high levels of transparency and challenge the status quo by embedding Airbus’ technology DNA in a highly dynamic environment; – –X-Labs: providing test, conceptual design, simulation and rapid prototyping capabilities for the R&T portfolio and the Engineering Centres, particularly addressing capabilities that do not otherwise exist within the Company or though external ecosystems ( e.g. electrification). X-Labs also allows for external access to these facilities; – – Acubed: delivering research and technological innovation at the intersection of software and hardware, specifically in AI, big data, software development, simulation and quantum. Acubed acts as a bridge connecting Airbus and Silicon Valley, providing intelligence insights and leveraging the unique expertise that is accessible through this connection; – – Airbus China R&D and Innovation Centre: accelerating “local for local” innovation by leveraging the local sustainability and digital innovation ecosystem to support local business growth and support the Company’s future competitiveness in China; – –Airbus InnovationX | Scale: bringing together corporate innovation, global technology scouting, start-up engagement and company building activities; – – Airbus India Innovation Centre: building disruptive products for all three businesses by leveraging the strong engineering and digital competencies within Airbus India while also collaborating with the external innovation ecosystem in the country. The Company’s three businesses each have their own R&T function, defining and delivering specific projects. These R&T functions primarily perform planning and technical arbitration within their perimeters, and in order to foster continuity across the Company they are accountable to Technology, Divisional Engineering and Product Strategy. In order to maximise the effectiveness of the Company’s R&T activities, the businesses leverage the external ecosystem, reaching across the portfolio of projects for funding opportunities and to engage with global
partnerships, research institutes and universities. This approach fosters efficient R&T portfolio execution, and is further enabled by new ways of working, such as AGILE methodology and minimum viable product demonstration strategy, which enhance adaptability and efficiency. The R&T teams seek to secure continuous improvement in their business’ competitiveness and the ability to develop new business by establishing and driving the Company’s R&T ambitions. Across the Company, specific priority is given to technologies for sustainable next generation aircraft, bringing together product, production system and services. Fast-track roadmap owners serve as principal advisors to the CTO on technical vision and roadmaps for their particular technology areas. Fast-track roadmaps ensure coherency of activities within the portfolio and they foster the rapid advancement of strategic priorities across the businesses. Current fast-track roadmaps cover: – – electrification; – – industrial systems and manufacturing; – – connectivity; To help safeguard the benefits created for the Company through R&T, its intellectual property is protected, secured and defended through a central intellectual property function responsible for patent applications, portfolio investigations and portfolio defence. Key Progress in 2023 Central research and technology (“CRT”) CRT pioneers the future of aerospace by exploring and delivering ambitious new technologies which have the highest potential for making a positive impact on Airbus’ future products and services. CRT operates between and with the Company’s central and global research and technology capabilities, pursuing two main objectives: – –be a technical trailblazer: explore and deliver relevant new technologies, as well as de-risk and create new opportunities; – – prepare the skills that Airbus will require in the future: develop internal capabilities in strategic, emerging technology fields and provide expertise to internal “customers” for technical support and decision-making. In 2023, CRT ran more than 40 projects concurrently across its domains. Highlights from these activities are listed below. Materials technologies: 2023 has seen significant technical advancement in the fields of materials sustainability and circularity, materials informatics, functional and high-performance materials (towards overall sustainability targets) and product mission performance and competitiveness. In particular, the area of materials informatics is gaining increasing relevance for all strategic drivers in materials ( e.g. sustainability, materials for decarbonisation). The scope of materials technologies ranges from organic to inorganic materials, and includes ceramics and surface technologies. Electrification technology: During 2023, the team has made significant progress on several aspects of electrification and electric propulsion technologies. For example, extensive investigations have been carried out on making hydrogen – – autonomy; – – materials; – – artificial intelligence (AI).
162 Airbus Annual Report
Universal Registration Document 2023
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