Sustainability and Environment

25 February 2025

Emission inventory and reduction

NLR’s expertise covers Air Traffic Management (ATM) technology and concepts, aircraft and airport operations, airport and airspace capacity, safety, aircraft and community noise, aviation emissions and impact mitigation options. We have developed and apply powerful and validated tools, for combined aircraft noise, emissions and third party risk calculation around airports (TUNA, LEAS-iT, TRIPAC), and an emissions policy analysis tool for aviation stakeholder analysis (AERO-MS), a virtual community noise simulator (VCNS), and airport tower and ATC fast-time simulators (NARSIM).

Sustainability and Environment

25 February 2025

Airport noise and flight track monitoring

NLR has extensive experience in designing and developing airport noise and flight track monitoring systems. . Our expertise encompasses the selection, installation, operation, and maintenance of flight track and noise monitoring systems. Additionally, we offer consultancy services to validate these systems, assess the monitoring of noise complaints, and provide policy support related to airport noise and flight track monitoring.

Sustainability and Environment

24 February 2025

Noise simulator

NLR offers a solution to demonstrate the impact of noise reduction measures in an objective way. Our capabilities allow you to visualise and demonstrate the reduction of noise from various sources such as aircraft, wind turbines, road traffic, trains, or industry. We can also recreate a community in a realistic virtual reality environment, enabling you to examine the impact of noise reduction measures from both the source and through shielding or other measures. This allows for a comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of noise reduction strategies.

Platform System Design

24 February 2025

RPAS environmental impact, policy and systems

NLR has extensive expertise in supporting the development and operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS or drones). We can assist with analysing the noise impact of RPAS, both in terms of detectability and noise pollution on the ground. Our capabilities also include designing a registration system for aircraft movements, including drones, as well as measuring and analysing performance data of these systems. Additionally, we can conduct future scenario studies on the use of drones, exploring their potential as complementary or replacement solutions for current air vehicles, while taking into account environmental aspects such as noise, emissions, and third-party risk.

Sustainability and Environment

24 February 2025

Airport noise policy

Effective airport noise management is crucial for minimising the impact of noise pollution on local communities and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. NLR can support you in assessing the noise load around an airport or heliport using noise mapping techniques, as well as evaluating and implementing new airport noise regulations. Our expertise can also help you update noise limits while communicating effectively with local communities.

Sustainability and Environment

04 February 2025

Revised and updated DESTINATION 2050 roadmap report published

The Destination 2050 initiative and roadmap developed by NLR and SEO at the request of A4E, ACI EUROPE, ASD, CANSO and ERA show an ambitious decarbonisation pathway for European aviation. The new report finds it is still possible to reach net zero in 2050. Nevertheless, it is clear that without short-term action this ambitious decarbonisation pathway will become increasingly more difficult, or even impossible to follow.

Sustainability and Environment

28 January 2025

R&D case COCOLIH2T - Composite Conformal Liquid H2 Tank

The global aviation industry is committed to reducing global net aviation carbon emissions by 50% by the year 2050, with the European Commission pursuing a more ambitious goal of a 75% reduction in CO2 emissions per passenger kilometre. Alternative fuels such as liquid hydrogen (LH2) are seen as playing a central role in a zero-emission future for aviation. To store cryogenic (20 K) liquid hydrogen in an aircraft, the COCOLIH2T project carries out research and testing for the design, manufacturing and testing of storage containers for new and existing aircraft designs.

Sustainability and Environment

27 January 2025

The need for disruptive aircraft concepts to address climate change

The EU project EXAELIA aims to accelerate the reduction of aviation emissions and its climate and environmental impacts. The project will evaluate novel flying test beds which are needed for de-risking the development of future long-range aircraft, thereby also helping the European industry to maintain its market position in aviation. The project’s official kick-off meeting was held on 22 January 2025, in Amsterdam. The consortium is coordinated by NLR.

Sustainability and Environment

17 December 2024

NLR and Zepp.solutions join forces to fly on liquid hydrogen

NLR is taking a significant step towards flying on liquid hydrogen, a promising development to make aviation more sustainable. To make this possible, the research institution has signed an agreement with zepp.solutions to develop a fuel cell system. This collaboration is a crucial pillar in NLR's ambition to conduct a demonstration flight on liquid hydrogen in 2026.