Engineering design projects take flight with inspiration from bird-like Airbus conceptual airliner
Engineering students from the University of Southampton were encouraged to consider biomimicry when innovating radical new ideas in a showcase of the Airbus Bird of Prey concept.
Dozens of students were presented the vision for a futuristic turbo propeller aircraft, which takes its design inspiration from eagles and falcons, in an event at Boldrewood Innovation Campus on Tuesday.
The Bird of Prey conceptual airliner would use feather-like control surfaces, hybrid-electric propulsion and electric systems to realise a step change in efficiency.
Students were guided through a moving model of the design as they begin to shape ideas for their fourth-year Group Design Projects (GDPs).
Airbus will be funding two GDPs this academic year and are challenging the University’s next generation engineers to emulate nature’s patterns and strategies as they develop sustainable solutions for a global future. The GDPs will be supervised by Professor Neil Bressloff and Dr András Sóbester
Professor David Richards , Head of the School of Engineering, said: “Our Group Design Projects are the capstone in the final MEng year of our programmes and they enable students to apply conceptual engineering and science knowledge to an engineering design problem. We challenge our students to be ambitious, to be creative and deliver innovation.”
“I look forward to seeing how the exciting ideas presented by this initiative will inspire novel and sustainable concepts over the coming months. I would like to thank Airbus for their generous contribution to this year’s programme and hope this can continue to strengthen our deep-rooted partnership.”
The Bird of Prey concept was first unveiled at this summer’s Royal International Air Tattoo event and highlights the 50th anniversary of Airbus as an aircraft manufacturer.
Martin Aston, Engineering Transformation Leader at Airbus, said: “It is hugely encouraging to see so many talented and creative students working together and putting their minds to some of engineering’s greatest challenges. Engineering is at a turning point and the solutions we need to address climate change and the other challenges we face are going to be more complex than anything we’ve seen before. We hope the Bird of Prey concept can help to show the next generation of engineers what a huge impact they can make in this exciting new era.”
Professor Bharathram Ganapathisubramani , Head of the Department of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering , added: “It is vitally important that the next generation of engineers to embed sustainability in their innovations. This initiative has demonstrated that there is much to be gained by borrowing ideas from nature. The Bird of Prey is an impressive concept and I have high hopes for what our talented final year students will deliver from this foundation.”
The University of Southampton has a longstanding relationship with Airbus and is a member of the Airbus Global University Partner Programme (AGUPP).
The organisations’ notable research collaborations include the Airbus Noise Technology Centre (ANTC) , opened in 2008, which works on a range of noise research and development projects. The Centre brings together academic staff, research fellows and PhD students using state-of-the-art computer simulations and wind tunnel testing to develop noise reduction concepts.