NLR Research plan

Knowledge and technology development forms the core of our activities. Our research projects are funded through three channels: clients, grants, and combinations of both. For projects funded through grants, NLR develops an annual research plan that aligns with Dutch government policy. This plan outlines our objectives and projects for the upcoming year and is used to focus and coordinate our research efforts.

Our research consists of:

• Programme-based knowledge development: demand-driven knowledge development where we develop knowledge based on the needs of ministries and other stakeholders in our network.
  
• Knowledge base: knowledge development that we build from background knowledge and technology to answer future questions.
  
• Research infrastructure: we develop and maintain research facilities that are necessary for the execution or experimental testing, verification, and validation of knowledge and technology development.

The NLR research plan undergoes a rigorous review and approval process. The following explains how this process works:

1. NLR Advisory committees: for each division of NLR (Aerospace Vehicles, Aerospace Operation, Aerospace Systems), an advisory committee is composed of representatives from relevant stakeholders, such as companies, universities, and ministries.
2. Technical content feedback: these advisory committees provide technical content feedback on the research plan.
3. Aggregation of feedback: the feedback from the advisory committees is aggregated and used as input for the NLR Advisory board.
4. NLR Advisory board: the Advisory board consists of stakeholders at a more executive level and provides advice to the NLR-Management.
5. Assessment of the research plan: in this advice, a specified opinion on the research plan is given, incorporating the input from the advisory committees.
6. NLR Task force: after the advice has been given, the NLR Task force (consisting of relevant ministries) must approve the plan.

At the end of the year, a similar process takes place to account for the resources used: the research report. A public version of this report, featuring a selection of achieved results, is published annually as an impact report.