Multidisciplinary aircraft integration within a collaborative and distributed design framework using the AGILE paradigm

Abstract The aircraft design is a collaborative and multidisciplinary process. It involves several experts with different disciplinary competences. These disciplinary experts often belong to different departments or organizations. The EU funded H2020 AGILE project aims at developing new generation of Multidisciplinary Design Analysis and Optimization (MDAO) frameworks. In particular, the AGILE project tackles the investigation and the development of technologies able to enhance the collaboration between the disciplinary experts. The present paper deals with a MDAO framework developed in the context of the AGILE research project. The integration of some disciplinary expertise is described by means of a case study of an innovative regional aircraft. Some disciplinary design variables are investigated to verify the correctness of disciplines integration and to quantify the mutual dependences among the design disciplines. In particular, the variation of the engine By Pass Ratio and the electrification level of the On-Board Systems are investigated through the MDAO workflow developed for aircraft preliminary design. Finally, the results show a plausible interaction among the disciplines and interesting trends regarding aircraft systems electrification.