New Take Off call makes available 9.2 million Euros for innovation, climate protection and sustainability in the aviation industry
Over 200 million Euros have been invested in innovation in the aviation industry with the aim to enable carbon-neutral flights in the long-term, based on technology from Austria.
This year’s Take Off programme is providing 9.2 million euros of research funding for investment in projects in the fields of innovation, climate protection and sustainability in the aviation sector. The new focal points of the Take Off call were presented as part of the online Aviation Forum Austria 2021 event. Austrian companies can submit their projects relating to sustainable innovation in the aviation industry by 23 February 2022.
“Austria has set itself some ambitious goals in its Mobility Masterplan 2030: in future, transport should protect our environment and help us to emit fewer pollutants into the air. We already know many solutions we need to achieve this goal – but we must also look for new solutions. The switchover to environmentally-friendly technologies is presenting a great challenge for the aviation industry in particular. Through the new Take Off call, we are now investing close to 10 million euros into technology research for environmentally-friendly aviation. And I would like to invite all companies with a spirit of innovation to take part,” states Climate Action Minister Leonore Gewessler.
“Research and innovation are important driving forces behind competitiveness in the aviation industry. Our aim is clear: achieving carbon-neutral flying in the long-term, based on technology from Austria. Each year, the ministry makes new funding available – the Ministry for Climate Action has already invested over 200 million euros in innovation in the aviation industry,” as State Secretary Magnus Brunner explained as part of the Aviation Forum Austria 2021 event.
The Take Off aviation research programme launched by the Ministry for Climate Action (BMK) and the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) funds innovative research projects in aviation. A carbon-neutral Austria should be achieved by the year 2040. The Ministry for Climate Action has already instigated solutions via Take Off in the past in order to highlight ways out of the climate crisis. This year’s Take Off call has four focal points: climate-friendly market segments, ecological transformation including environmentally-friendly propulsion systems/fuels, digital aviation and system-compatible aviation.
“The Covid crisis has changed the aviation sector. Companies and employees have faced and are still facing challenges the likes of which have never been seen before,” explains the State Secretary. The past months have seen the greatest increase in passenger numbers since the start of the pandemic. In Vienna, there are some 1.8 million airline passengers per month at present. “We are now facing the challenge of how to approach this upturn – and in particular how to do so in an ecological manner. Climate protection is a core aspect which we need to take increasingly into account in the future. I am convinced that our climate goals in aviation can only be achieved through innovation. There are numerous hidden champions and market leaders in the aviation industry in Austria. I would like to invite all innovative companies from Austria to participate in the Take Off programme and to submit their projects!”