Research infrastructure

Air Traffic Validation Center

Air Traffic Validation Center

The fundamental requirement for evaluating research content is to have the infrastructure to simulate and assess new concepts and systems. For several decades now, the Institute has been developing facilities for the validation of concepts, technologies and procedures in air traffic management. Together, these facilities are known as the Air Traffic Validation Center and are unique in Europe.

The Validation Center gives scientists the right tools to test and evaluate new ideas and technologies for all areas of air traffic management. At the same time, it also allows each development step to be continuously reviewed – from the initial idea down to the testing of prototypes and their implementation under realistic conditions.

Flexible and powerful for ATM concepts, technologies and procedures

The elements of the Validation Center can be used flexibly, depending on the research requirements, and both individually as well as grouped. Besides the facilities of the Institute itself, it is also possible to connect to further research facilities and validation platforms of other DLR Institutes or external partners (e.g. more simulation cockpits and air traffic control simulators).

Validation is the examination of a concept to determine whether the expected objectives can be achieved through its use. Validation is about answering the question: Have we built the right system?

Model-Based Performance Assessment

At early development stages, changes in the air transport system of today and the future and their effects are mainly analysed based on models. This often involves fast-time simulations. For this reason, a highly automated and flexible environment of models and tools was developed in the Air Traffic Validation Center.

Real-Time Simulation

The Institute operates a series of real-time simulators and test environments, which are remarkable because of their capability to integrate humans in the validation environment (human-in-the-loop).

Airport Research Facilities Braunschweig and Cochstedt

At Braunschweig-Wolfsburg Airport, the DLR operates extensive installations for testing new air traffic control systems in an operational environment. The DLR's "National Test Centre for Unmanned Aircraft Systems" is also available specifically for research into unmanned aircraft.

External Test Facilities

Besides the Air Traffic Validation Center, the Institute of Flight Guidance also uses the facilities of external national and international organisations when performing its development and validation work.

Contact

Sven Kaltenhäuser

Head of Department: ATM Simulation
Institute of Flight Guidance
ATM Simulation
Lilienthalplatz 7, 38108 Braunschweig