Tests show intelligent load control in commercial aircraft increases efficiency and comfort
COLOGNE, Germany - Flying needs to become more comfortable and efficient. One way to achieve this is by using intelligent load control systems capable of proactively responding to wind gusts and maneuvres, and adjusting control surfaces and flaps at lightning speed. In the oLAF (Optimal Lastadaptives Flugzeug; Optimal Load-adaptive Aircraft) project, researchers from the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) found that the use of this innovative technology reduces wing loads and increases passenger comfort. It also improves fuel consumption by up to 7.2 percent and significantly decreases carbon dioxide emissions, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) reports.
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10 March 2025 - "Thanks to an ingenious combination of sophisticated control surfaces and modern sensors, we can better absorb turbulence, minimize the load on the aircraft structure and thus develop more efficient aircraft," explains Lars Reimer, project manager at the DLR Institute of Aerodynamics and Flow Technology. This is achieved, among other things, with laser systems and LiDAR sensors, which use lasers to measure wind patterns and detect oncoming gusts early on. These sensors enable the aircraft to react even more precisely and proactively to external influences, automatically adjusting control surfaces such as rudders and flaps. "The use of state-of-the-art load control systems not only reduces material stress and extends service life, but also improves the aerodynamics and efficiency of modern commercial aircraft," Reimer continues.
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Jamie Whitney, Senior Editor
Military + Aerospace Electronics
