Improving sustainability and using digital technologies to boost productivity are among the focus areas of a new five-year research program launched by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and Boeing.
Building on 32 years of joint research, the new agreement will see the partners invest up to $41 million across areas of mutual interest.
CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said the Boeing relationship represented a success story of science partnering with industry to create impact.
“CSIRO has existed for more than 100 years to help industry solve its greatest challenges and create a prosperous society,” Dr Marshall said.
“The next five years will see our science really move the needle on innovation to create sustainable solutions that deliver the great challenge of lowering emissions while expanding our economy at the same time – but that’s what science does.”
CSIRO has been named Boeing’s Supplier of the year on four occasions: 2011, 2016, 2017 and 2018 in the Environmental category. The parties have made numerous breakthroughs since first partnering in 1989.
“Years of research and development is at the core of every critical innovation in aerospace,” said Greg Hyslop, the chief engineer of The Boeing Company and executive vice president of Boeing Engineering, Test & Technology. “Our new multi-year agreement with CSIRO will lead to a more sustainable aviation industry, building upon our decades-long partnership that has already produced so many significant advancements for Boeing and our customers.”
Projects include accelerating satellite communications and other space-related technologies, and enhancing Boeing’s digital twin and model-based engineering capabilities to further improve the operational efficiency and sustainability of Boeing’s commercial aircraft and future products.
Over 32 years of working together, the two organisations have invested more than AU$200 million on joint research projects, including space-related R&D, some of which will take place at CSIRO’s new Brisbane facility, which is also home to approximately 2000 of Boeing’s Queensland-based employees.
The strong relationship with CSIRO was a key factor in Boeing choosing Australia as the location for one of its largest research and development operations outside the United States.