After receiving his Aeronautical Engineering degree from Imperial College, Pauli joined Rolls-Royce on their graduate training scheme and worked mostly on the Joint Strike Fighter LiftSystem programme. He started as a Development Engineer during the Concept Demonstration Phase, then spent two years working with Lockheed Martin on propulsion integration at their plant in Fort Worth, Texas. Back in the UK, after managing packages of work on the LiftSystem, Pauli moved to the Development Operations area where he led the team that assembles engines ready for development testing.
“It’s been a busy few years for me,” Pauli said, “but I’m now back on familiar turf in Engineering, this time working with the Research and Technology team.”
During ASTRAEA 1, Pauli was in Development Operations at Rolls-Royce and didn’t hear about the programme until the end, when the ParcAberporth final deliveries ceremony made national news.
“As ASTRAEA 1 didn’t have an engine demonstration,” Pauli said, “I wasn’t aware of the programme while it was going on. But it’s certainly an interesting area and I’m looking forward to contributing to the development of future technologies.”
Pauli was recently named Rolls-Royce’s Programme Manager for ASTRAEA where he’s responsible for ensuring that the good work conducted to date continues and to help his ASTRAEA team get a demonstration test delivered.
“I just attended my first Quarterly Programme Review,” he said, “and was impressed by the breadth of work being undertaken across the consortium. For a research and development programme, progress has tracked the plan very well!”
Pauli explained that the Rolls-Royce team is now coming to a very interesting phase of the programme where they’re planning the physical demonstration of new technologies.
“Putting this demonstration together will be a big challenge,” he said, “but the rewards for success are significant and everyone involved in the programme profits – the company, the consortium and the stakeholders – that level of motivation is hard to resist.”
As to the future of UAS operations after ASTRAEA 2, Pauli sees the programme’s influence going a long way to opening up the skies. The combination of technology and a path to certification gives ASTRAEA significant global influence but, he said, “we must continue to build public interest, too.”
“It’s also vital,” he concluded, “that potential UAS users start thinking about the business case for moving into the field and ASTRAEA can help point the way. With further output of demonstrated technology, CAA agreement on how this can be certified, and credibility with potential users, ASTRAEA’s recognition as a groundbreaking success will open the doors to further work and the ultimate delivery of UAS to the marketplace.”
About Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce is a world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air, and has established a strong position in global markets - civil aerospace, defence aerospace, marine and energy.
As a result of this strategy, Rolls-Royce today has a broad customer base comprising more than 600 airlines, 4,000 corporate and utility aircraft and helicopter operators, 160 armed forces, more than 2,000 marine customers, including 70 navies, and energy customers in nearly 120 countries, with an installed base of 54,000 gas turbines.
Rolls-Royce employs over 38,000 skilled people in offices, manufacturing and service facilities in 50 countries.
Rolls-Royce is a partner in the ASTRAEA II project on Autonomous Decision Making (ADM) and leads the propulsion and power management theme.