Acoustics
Concerning the study of component and full-system noise generation and propagation. Methods of internal and external noise alleviation through active and passive control are also investigated.
Advanced Vertical Flight
Concerning the broadening of the vertical fight technology base with emphasis on V/STOL concepts beyond the conventional rotorcraft area.
Aerodynamics
Concerning lift and external propulsion components and systems and their interaction, airframe aerodynamics, noise mechanisms, overall performance and air loads.
Aircraft Design
Concerning overall aircraft, subsystem, and component design; design technology, design criteria, and design synthesis; interdisciplinary design considerations including performance, reliability, maintainability, weights, and economics; and vulnerability and crash safety considerations.
Avionics and Systems
Concerning avionics, flight control, and mission systems for manned, unmanned, or optionally manned vertical flight aircraft.
This encompasses related aspects of hardware, firmware, and software design, development, implementation, verification and fielding.
Additional areas of interest include cyber security, airworthiness/certification, innovative use of COTS technologies, and open systems architectures.
Crash Safety
Concerning all aspects of rotorcraft crashworthiness technology including human tolerance to crash impacts, in-flight obstacle strike,
cockpit delethalization, crashworthy fuel systems, ditching and post-impact flotation, energy absorbing components such as landing gears,
subfloor structure, seats and restraint systems with associated design criteria formulation, analytical model development, testing, and
system integration into a crashworthy rotorcraft design.
Crew Stations and Human Factors
Concerning operational environments and mission requirements for identification of the aircrew and maintainer vehicle interface issues that
impact workload and mission success. This includes the study of integrated crew station design; control concepts; information transfer; display
methodology; symbology and formats; automation and artificial intelligence concepts; prototyping of crew systems; and the interdisciplinary interface
of crew systems with other vehicle systems.
Dynamics
Concerning advanced analytical modeling, design, structural control, and experimental methodologies; improvements in rotorcraft dynamics attributes,
longer life, and/or lower weight and cost rotorcraft; increased rotorcraft capabilities and commercial operator and passenger acceptance;
and expanded rotorcraft applications and markets.
Handling Qualities
Concerning flying qualities, stability and control, response modeling criteria, control systems, and ground and water handling.
Health and Usage Management Systems
Concerning the application of monitoring system technologies that have the potential of providing reduced operational costs, increased
availability/mission readiness and enhanced safety.
History
Concerning the documentaion and preservation of the history of the theoretical and practical discoveries that led to the achievement of vertical flight.
Manufacturing Technology and Processing
Concerning advanced manufacturing and quality assurance methods as applied to production of vertical lift aircraft hardware; new processing techniques,
nondestructive evaluation, or unique methods used to produce high quality hardware; and design assurance disciplines used to assure design producibility.
Modeling and Simulation
Concerning effective scientific and engineering applications of manned flight simulation in support of rotorcraft engineering design, test and evaluation,
and aircrew training.
Operations
Concerning enhancing the effectiveness of civil and military vertical flight operations.
Product Support Systems Technology
Concerning the development and application of technology, processes, and innovations that support vertical lift operators and maintainers.
Propulsion
Concerning powerplant and power transmission design and criteria including their interaction, airframe interface, operational environment,
related accessories and subsystems with primary emphasis on the disciplines of thermodynamics, internal aerodynamics, dynamics and drive-system technology.
Safety
Concerning the application and benefits of technology in order to negate the safety critical hazards to commercial, private and military VTOL
aircraft in worldwide operations. Safety is considered both at the component reliability level and integrally at the level of the helicopter and its operations.
Structures and Materials
Concerning structures and structural research, analysis, and testing; design criteria and position loads; and material and processing technology.
System Engineering Tools/Processes
Concerning management, application, processes, tools, or results which contribute to the understanding and documenting of customer requirements
and design through manufacturing and field support.
Test and Evaluation
Concerning testing of all operational aspects, e.g., availability, survivability, economics, interdisciplinary tests and procedures for
aircraft and components - small scale, full scale or simulation.
Unmanned VTOL Aircraft and Rotorcraft
Concerning new technologies for unmanned VTOL systems, including autonomy and operability; reliability and robustness; payloads, sensors and data links; performance; and survivability.