ODIN and BAANG for Safer, Greener Skies

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ODIN and BAANG for Safer, Greener Skies 12/10/2026 Designing a smart aircraft Every time an aircraft takes off, thousands of structural components must work perfectly under stress, vibration and changing temperatures. Ensuring that these structures remain safe for decades is one of the greatest challenges in aviation. The COST Action Optimising Design for Inspection (ODIN) decided to rethink this challenge from the very beginning. Instead of asking how aircraft should be inspected after they are built, ODIN focused on embedding inspection into the design itself. The idea is similar to the human nervous system. Just as your body feels pain and reacts early, ODIN worked on aircraft structures that can ‘feel’ damage and report it before it becomes serious. As Action Chair, Dr Rhys Pullin, from Cardiff University, explains: “Much like the human body’s nervous system, these ‘built-in senses’ will provide real-time updates on the health and safety of the aircraft. They’ll also help the plane automatically adjust its shape to improve fuel efficiency, make the ride smoother, and ensure everything is running at its best.” Planes are struck by lightning about once a year, but this is always safe Jet speeds have not changed much in decades Small wingtips and winglets help aircraft to save fuel and cut emissions From inspections to self-sensing structures Currently, aircraft maintenance largely relies on scheduled ground-based inspections. While effective, this approach can be costly and may miss early signs of damage. “ The aerospace industry is famously cautious” , says Rhys Pullin. “ New technologies often take decades to move from the lab into real aircraft, partly because every new idea must go through strict certification processes by regulators like the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and similar bodies worldwide. This caution ensures safety, but it can also slow down the adoption of fresh research and innovations.” ODIN, however, explored a different vision: aircraft structures equipped with embedded sensors that can continuously monitor their own condition while in service. These ideas are based on technologies such as ultrasonic sensing, energy harvesting and wireless communication, which were brought together within a single design framework. According to Petar Dimitrov, Science Communication Coordinator of the Action from the University St. Kliment Ohridski, “ODIN transformed structural health monitoring from isolated laboratory research into a coordinated, validated and industry-relevant framework.” By integrating sensing into the structure itself, ODIN has helped to transform inspection from a reactive task into a built-in capability. From collaboration to tangible results ODIN’s impact goes beyond concepts. The Action delivered shared tools, datasets and benchmarks that are already shaping ongoing research and industrial approaches. The ODIN open-access book, Structural Health Monitoring Damage Detection Systems for Aerospace , introducing key methods for monitoring the health of aircraft structures, has been consulted over 500,000 times, showing its value to both researchers and industry professionals. According to Petar Dimitrov: “ODIN established durable links between academia, SMEs, and aerospace companies. This network is expected to accelerate the transfer of Structural Health Monitoring technologies into real aircraft design and maintenance practices.” Knowledge exchange was equally central. Through online research exchanges and short-term scientific missions, eight universities worked together to compare different methods of computer-modelling a complex aircraft wing component. A major result was the development of a representative aircraft wing structure test, validated and approved by Airbus. As Petar notes: “ODIN’s wing structure test, produced datasets that are already being used in publications, conference workshops and training.” From left to right: Rúnar Unnthorsson, ODIN Vice Chair, Dr Rhys Pullin, Action Chair, and Petar Dimitrov, Belgrade, 2024 “ODIN transformed structural health monitoring from isolated laboratory research into a coordinated, validated and industry-relevant framework.” Petar Dimitrov, Science Communication Coordinator of ODIN Action As part of its dissemination strategy, ODIN collaborated with ‘Science Made Simple’ to develop engaging outreach resources. These were later used at Cardiff University’s ‘Museum at Night’, where visitors experienced hands-on demonstrations of damage detection via an interactive exhibit. The event attracted around 1,700 members of the public, demonstrating ODIN’s success in bringing complex aerospace research to a wider audience. Finally, one of ODIN’s proudest achievements was helping to secure EU funding for the follow-up project, BAANG , which will carry this work even further. Twinning project inspired by birds BAANG , a Horizon Europe Twinning project, grew directly out of the collaborations established within the COST Acti

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Source: cost.eu