An innovative Australian aviation startup is making waves in the aerospace industry by turning to nature for inspiration. The company, MicroTau, has developed a cutting-edge adhesive film modeled after the unique texture of shark skin, offering a novel way to enhance the efficiency of aircraft.
This biomimetic technology, which takes cues from the natural world, promises not only to improve flight performance but also to help combat the aviation sector’s growing carbon footprint.
The secret lies in the shark’s skin, which is covered in countless tiny grooves known as dermal denticles or riblets. These riblets serve a crucial purpose in the animal kingdom, allowing sharks to swim swiftly and effortlessly by minimizing the resistance created by water.
When translated to aviation, a similar concept is applied by outfitting the aircraft’s exterior — including its wings, fuselage, and tail — with a specialized adhesive film embedded with microscopic grooves that mimic those found on shark skin. The result is a surface that smooths the airflow around the aircraft, thereby reducing aerodynamic drag.
According to MicroTau, its proprietary ‘Riblet Modification’ technology can enhance an aircraft’s overall efficiency by up to 4%. While this percentage may seem modest at first glance, the potential implications for the global aviation industry are significant.
“Across the global aviation fleet, this means billions of dollars in fuel saved and millions of tons of CO2 emissions prevented,” the company states.
Recognizing the promise of this technology, Delta Air Lines has entered into a collaborative agreement with MicroTau to test the riblet film on its Boeing 767 fleet. The initiative is part of an ambitious “incubator lab” program, aimed at transforming the airline industry into a more sustainable and environmentally responsible sector.
This innovation hub includes notable partners such as aerospace giants Airbus and Boeing, as well as JetZero and Ohio-based electric air taxi manufacturer, Joby Aviation.
This partnership comes at a critical time, as the aviation industry continues to grapple with its environmental impact and search for meaningful ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. With air travel responsible for approximately 2-3% of global carbon emissions, even incremental improvements in efficiency can contribute to substantial long-term benefits.
As part of a broader strategy to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, airlines and aircraft manufacturers alike have been exploring a variety of nature-inspired solutions. These efforts range from adopting biofuels and designing planes to fly in energy-saving formations inspired by migrating geese, to now experimenting with shark skin-inspired films.
The collaboration between MicroTau and Delta Air Lines will focus on measuring the real-world fuel savings and emissions reductions achieved by applying the Riblet Modification to commercial aircraft. If the tests prove successful, this could pave the way for wider adoption across the aviation industry, contributing to global sustainability goals.
For a closer look at how this Australian startup is changing the future of flight, watch the full Reuters news report covering MicroTau’s groundbreaking work in the video below.
What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news!
True Activist / Report a typo
