Airbus DragonFly – Aircraft Manufacturer Tests Automation on the Ground and in the Air

The technologies demonstrated under the name DragonFly include automatic emergency avoidance maneuvers during cruise, automatic landing and taxi support, and are intended to assess the feasibility and relevance of further research into autonomous flight systems to promote safer and more efficient operations.

"These tests are one of several steps in the methodical exploration of technologies to further improve operations and safety," said Isabelle Lacaze, Head of the DragonFly Demonstrator, Airbus UpNext. "Inspired by biomimicry, the tested systems are designed to recognize features in the landscape that enable an aircraft to 'see' its surroundings and maneuver safely and autonomously, much like dragonflies are known to recognize landmarks."

During the flight test campaign, the technologies were able to assist the pilots during flight, in handling a simulated crew member failure, as well as during landing and taxiing. Taking into account external factors such as flight zones, terrain, and weather conditions, the aircraft was able to create a new flight path plan and communicate with both air traffic control and the airline's operations center.

Airbus UpNext has also explored taxiway assistance functions, which were tested under real-time conditions at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport. The technology provides the crew with acoustic warnings of obstacles, assisted speed control, and guidance to the runway based on a dedicated airport map. Additionally, to these functions, Airbus UpNext is launching a project to prepare the next generation of algorithms based on computer vision to improve landing and taxiing assistance.