Air Force Awards Istari Digital $19M contract to develop world's first digitally certified airplane
In a significant advancement for digital transformation in aviation, the United States Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded a $19.1 million contract to Istari Digital, Inc. to develop the world's first digitally certified airplane. Named Flyer Øne, the initiative aims to create a digital-first, fixed-wing drone that will pioneer a novel engineering process, taking it from design to Military Flight Release certification. Unlike current practices that rely heavily on physical prototyping—often costly and time-consuming—Flyer Øne will use Istari Digital's cutting-edge digital engineering platform to demonstrate the real-world performance and safety of digital aircraft. Drawing inspiration from the rapid digitization seen in industries like Formula 1 racing, the project aims to fully integrate digital modeling, simulations, requirements, and certifications into a unified digital thread. The endeavor marks an ambitious effort to revolutionize the aerospace industry's approach to engineering, design, and certification.