_edited.png)
Biomimicry & Aeronautics
Reimagining the aeronautics of the future through the ingenuity and technical efficiency of living organisms
An aeronautics sector in search of radical innovations
Air traffic continues to grow, with a marked trend towards a steady increase in passenger numbers each year, foreshadowing a growth that could reach or exceed 5 billion travelers in the coming years. This growth is almost paradoxical, however, given the increasing constraints faced year after year. The environmental impact of the aviation sector is now a heavy burden: the industry alone accounts for 2.5% of global CO2 emissions .
Players in the field have never faced so many new challenges: increasing environmental regulations, pressure on suppliers' costs, accelerating production and machining rates, user demands... To survive in this rapidly changing market and cope with this complex world, manufacturers and suppliers must strengthen their R&D: only disruptive and strategic technological innovations will allow them to adapt sustainably to these new constraints.
Biomimicry presents a major technological opportunity for aeronautics.
Flying has long been an ability exclusive to nature. Birds and even insects possess sophisticated locomotion abilities, acquired over millions of years of evolution.
Tested to the extreme, many species optimize the ratio between the effort expended on the one hand, and the desired speed, maneuverability, and endurance on the other. The flight techniques of the eagle, the stealth of the owl made possible by its feathers, or the flexible wings of the grasshopper are all examples of the mastery that living organisms have over their environment.
A prime example of this inspiration lies in winglets , the curved wingtips introduced at the end of the 20th century. Directly inspired by large birds, which minimize turbulence thanks to the shape of their wings, winglets contribute to a 4% reduction in fuel consumption on aircraft in the Airbus A320 family.
But the value of biomimicry in this field is not limited to studying flying animals. Lightweight and resistant materials, thermoregulation, vibration reduction, hydrodynamics, anti-icing… Nature offers a range of mechanisms that can address major challenges in the aeronautical industry.
For example, Lufthansa has developed an innovative coating inspired by sharkskin, called AeroShark, which reduces aircraft drag. Applied to its fleet of Boeing 747s, this microtextured film reduces CO₂ emissions by 6,000 metric tons per year. This is equivalent to approximately 28 scheduled flights between São Paulo and Miami operated by a Boeing 777 ( Lufthansa ).
