The Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (CAJU) is an institutionalised European partnership established under the Horizon Europe programme (2021-2027). It is the EU’s leading research and innovation programme for transforming aviation towards a sustainable and climate neutral future. Participation in the programme is based on proposals submitted to open, competitive calls through the Commission’s Funding & Tenders Portal.

CAJU is now inviting proposals in response to its third call for proposals. The total budget of the call is €380 million, which is expected to yield a minimum of €950 million of total research effort including in-kind contributions to support disruptive projects aimed at decarbonising aviation.

A total of nine topics are split across the three areas. The fast track area (FTA) topics are designed to de-risk alternative or complementary technical solutions, thereby facilitating a faster implementation process and enlarging the breadth of competencies. Priority will be given to projects that can rapidly advance impactful technologies to the development phase and are closely connected to the SMR and REG projects, encouraging the participation of universities, research centres, and SMEs. The topics are as follows:

Ultra-efficient Regional (REG) aircraft architectures: €145 million

• Demonstration of a Hybrid-Electric Propulsion System for Regional Aircraft, including Pylon and Nacelle Integration and Modification – Budget of €70 million
• Demonstration of On-board Systems Relevant for Hybridization of Regional Aircraft – €40 million
• Flight Test Demonstration of Hybrid-Electric Propulsion for Regional Aircraft – €35 million

Ultra-efficient Short-Medium Range (SMR) aircraft architectures: €205 million

• Ground Test Demonstration and Preparation of Flight Test of an Ultra High Bypass Ratio Ducted Geared Turbofan Engine for SMR Aircraft – €70 million
• Flight Test Demonstration of an Unducted Engine Architecture for SMR Aircraft – €100 million
• Ground Test Demonstration up to TRL5 of On-Board NPE Systems Architecture for SMR Aircraft – €35 million

Fast Track Areas: €15 million

• Design and Integration of a High-Performance Battery System on a Hybrid-Electric Regional Aircraft – €5 million
• Crashworthiness of Fuselage Integrated LH2 Storage Solutions – €5 million
• Advanced Concepts for Reliable Power Electronics Conversion and Distribution in Aviation – €5 million

In addition, €15 million is allocated to a tenth topic focusing on Aircraft Concept and Key Technologies Integration and Impact Assessment.

Any legal entity established in EU Member States and Associated Countries is eligible to apply to open calls, including European companies, universities, research institutes and others. The calls are open to CAJU members as well as non-members.

Unless otherwise provided for in the CAJU Work Programme and the specific topic conditions, legal entities forming a consortium are eligible to participate in actions provided that the consortium includes at least one independent legal entity established in a Member State, and at least two other independent legal entities, each established in different Member States or Associated Countries.