Nautilus Research & Development Department, equipped with CAE working stations based on CatiaV5 platform, actively cooperate with the Politecnico di Torino Aviation and Aerospace Engineering Department. It currently can provides the following services:

• Design and development of generic aerostats properly equipped for specific applications
• Design and development of radio-controlled airship.
• Structural analysis and studies Nastran / Patran.
• Fluidodynamic studies and analysis for characterising flying machines aerodynamics parameters. NSAERO, VSAERO and VSAERO rotor.
• Flight mechanics studies and analysis with the production of mathematical models for control systems Matlab/Simulink
• Production of simulators for the analysis of machine behaviour and for the training on developed machines. Simulink/AVDS.
• Propeller Development and testing with characterization in wind tunnel by a machine expressly de signed and tested.

Components and subsystems manufacturing and testing is carried out at qualified providers sites and at Nautilus facilities in Ovada, Turin and Reggio Emilia.

Since 2002 the NPU (Nautilus Program for UAV) is operational and is aimed at developing a new UAV (Unmanned Air Vehicle) generation, innovative both in its double hull architecture and for the lack of control surfaces. Currently in the European Union only two certification requests fir airship-based UAVs are pending, one being that from Nautilus which is referred to the NPU project.