From the editors of the special issue on selected methods and instrumentation of metrology for aerospace

Abstract

Metrology is the theoretical and experimental interdisciplinary science of the measurement for each research and application field. In the aerospace field, metrology plays a fundamental role both for certification and for calibration of instrumentation. In addition, it drives the ideation and design of innovative instrumentation and experimental setups to reproduce on the ground aerospace environments. In this issue, we try to demonstrate this, highlighting the importance of measurement and instrumentation for all activities involved in aerospace. Aerospace projects need innovative and unique test and measurement solutions throughout the entire product life cycle, from modelling and simulation on a research and development bench to flight testing and operational applications. Innovation in aerospace technologies takes place at an increasingly fast pace, as does the development of test and measurement methodologies and technologies, and this is important for miniaturization and increasingly integrated solutions to minimize the necessary resources. Companies and researchers should focus on the development of the next generations of aerospace equipment and, in the meantime, must ensure their effectiveness before they are used in an operational context