Platform System Design Archieven - Netherlands Aerospace Centre

Drones op het terrein van NLR in Marknesse

Defence and Security

27 May 2025

Accelerating drone research for Dutch Defence: the strength of an ecosystem

NLR has officially launched the Quick Response Drone Facility (QRDF). A new facility to conduct research quickly and effectively on uncrewed systems for defence. “Drones are playing an increasingly important role in aviation, for defence and also for civil applications,” says Bert Thuis, Vice President Aerospace Vehicles at NLR. Unmanned systems are playing an increasingly […]

Sustainability and Environment

27 May 2025

Booklet: Research and Development more electric and hydrogen powered aerospace

Hydrogen as a fuel is considered to be an important route towards future sustainable aviation. For aviationapplications, hydrogen presents several key advantages: it allows for the elimination of carbon emissions inflight and along the entire life cycle. Its usage in fuel cells allows eliminating NOx and particles. When burntin a turbine engine, very low particle […]

Sustainability and Environment

20 March 2025

Booklet: Applied research for aerospace industry, space and defence

Royal NLR operates as a non-profit, objective and independent research centre, working with its partners towards a better world tomorrow. As part of that, NLR offers innovative solutions and technical expertise, with the aim of making aerospace more sustainable, safer, more efficient and effective. We are the connection between scientific research, policy-based support and industrial […]

Sustainability and Environment

14 March 2025

NLR and Cryoworld collaborate on flying with liquid hydrogen

NLR is taking a further step towards more sustainable flight by partnering with Cryoworld to develop a liquid hydrogen tank. This follows the agreement with zepp.solutions for a fuel cell system. The new collaboration contributes to NLR’s ambition to conduct a demonstration flight on liquid hydrogen in 2026. NLR aims to achieve manned flight on […]

04 March 2025

Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel

The NLR Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel (NLR-AWT) is a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to researching the sources of aero-acoustic noise and developing techniques to reduce aircraft noise. Our research focuses on the early development phase (low Technology Readiness Level) or aims to improve existing systems. Additionally, we develop advanced measurement methods to identify and quantify noise sources. […]

Platform System Design

27 February 2025

Thermal control

Building on our expertise in thermal analysis and testing, NLR offers a wide range of services and facilities for thermal analysis and testing, including qualified R&D and test engineers, thermal vacuum chambers, thermal laboratories, and specialised test facilities such as the THETA hydrogen test facility and the Two-Phase Test Facility. Our facilities are part of […]

Platform System Design

27 February 2025

Flight physics

NLR offers ‘beyond state-of-the-art’ computational physics solutions to complex aerospace problems. With a multidisciplinary approach, we combine our computational expertise with experimental disciplines across the entire lifecycle of an aerospace vehicle (aircraft, rotorcraft, rocket, drone/UAS/UAV, etc.). Our expertise includes: NLR can support you with:

Platform System Design

27 February 2025

Advantages of Distributed Electric Propulsion technology (DEP-SFD)

Distributed Electric Propulsion technology was demonstrated and tested in a measurement campaign with numerous flights of a scaled aircraft in 2024 (SFD DEP). The flight dynamics and control of the aircraft allow steering and controlling the aircraft with differential thrust. It enables the aircraft to steer during flight with different thrust of the left and […]

Platform Technology

25 February 2025

Unmanned rotorcraft systems

NLR offers independent research, development and consultancy to Unmanned Rotocraft Systems (URS) stakeholders. We can support you with our ample experience in the flight testing, airworthiness, qualification and certification of both manned and unmanned aircraft. We also have expertise in UAS Regulations, and are involvement in the development of standards (EUROCAE WG-105, ASTM F-38). Our […]