European Facility For Airborne Research

“Developing the infrastructure to meet future scientific challenges”

ICARE 2017 CONFERENCE DETAILS, CLICK HERE.                           

To download the ICARE flyer, click here.

The 2^nd International Conference on Airborne Research for the Environment (ICARE 2017) will be held at DLR - the German Aerospace Research Center, in Oberpfaffenhofen, from 10 to 13 July 2017. Mainly funded by EUFAR (under the EC's FP7 framework programme), the conference will also receive significant in-kind and cash contributions from DLR and ESA respectively.

The conference will bring together both operators and users of research aircraft working in support of a broad range of environmental research interests together with representatives of relevant funding agencies and equipment suppliers. Airborne research has significantly contributed to our understanding of important environmental processes in the atmosphere, ocean and on the land surface. The ability to continue and develop this role will depend on the airborne research community adapting to the challenges of a world of increasingly restricted financial resources.

The conference will review the scientific drivers for future airborne measurements across a broad range of topics in environmental science. There will also be sessions devoted to a range of technical and support issues that are concerned with developing the aircraft operators’ ability to address these science drivers. It is expected that the programme will include sessions that include the following topics:

i) Science drivers for future airborne science missions

• Airborne support to future satellite missions
• Polar research
• Atmospheric science
• Clouds and precipitation
• Atmospheric composition – trace gases and aerosols
• Atmospheric dynamics
• Air-sea interaction
• Oceans, lakes and inshore waters
• Primary productivity
• Water quality
• Mesoscale ocean dynamics
• Land surface studies
• Land-atmosphere interaction
• Vegetation and forest studies
• Agriculture
• Soils and minerals

ii) Organisation of future field campaigns

• Access to airspace for measurement flights
• Diplomatic and security restrictions
• Coordination of multi-aircraft campaigns through separate funding streams

iii) Developing future airborne science capabilities and platforms

• Maintenance of capability range
• Developing open access to airborne facilities
• Broadening the scientific user base
• Synergy of manned aircraft and UAVs

iv) New developments in instrumentation and data

• Exploitation of lightweight / low-power instruments
• Unattended operation
• Exploitation of real-time data for science planning, education and public engagement
• Transferability between aircraft
• Data formats and exchange – facilitating collaboration
• Development of protocols for the conduct of airborne intercomparisons

The conference will consist of both plenary and parallel sessions with invited keynote speakers for the main topics. We expect that a number of research aircraft, part of the EUFAR’s transnational access programme, will be exhibited during the conference and there will be some time set aside for tours and viewings. Further details of the science programme together with registration information will be made available in early February 2017. A Call for Abstracts inviting both oral and poster submissions for the conference programme will follow this.

Important Dates

Available funding for early-career scientists: Funding will be provided by ESA for a limited number of early-career scientists to cover their associated travel and subsistence expenses . The funding will be provided on a first come basis. Contact bureau@eufar.net for more information.

Click here to be directed to the ICARE 2017 registration page. For more information, register as a EUFAR member and join the ICARE2017 mailing list to be kept updated on news related to ICARE or contact bureau@eufar.net. 

Aerial shot of DLR premises, Oberpfaffenhofen. Photo credit: DLR (CC-BY 3.0)

DLR research aircraft  parked at Oberpfaffenhofen. Photo credit: DLR (CC-BY 3.0)

DLR's HALO (High Altitude and Long Range Research Aircraf) parked at Oberpfaffenhofen. Photo credit: DLR (CC-BY 3.0)