Special issue on advances in rotorcraft research and technology: 49th European Rotorcraft Forum

Rotorcraft research must address the needs of society, industry, and the military in the field of rotorcraft. Increased automation, reduced pilot workload, improved performance, and quieter rotor blades are needed. These topics are covered by traditional rotorcraft disciplines. However, new challenges also arise. For instance, we must reduce CO2 emissions by using hybrid or fully electric power trains and sustainable aviation fuels. Additionally, we must address new threats and operational concepts in today’s military environments. Uncrewed air vehicles with a high level of automation or autonomous operations are changing the landscape of civil and military operations. Well-established and new companies are trying to address these challenges with new approaches and configurations. As with any vehicle with a thrust-to-weight ratio greater than one, a technical solution for a rotorcraft must be highly efficient, limiting the innovative designs that can be considered.