Research & development
We address the most complex challenges in modern flight planning.
Research & development
We address the most complex challenges in modern flight planning.
Research & development
We address the most complex challenges in modern flight planning.
Publications
Research-driven,
always ahead.
Research-driven,
always ahead.
Focus_
Simulation Exercises for robust Flight dispatching solution under thunderstorm disruptions
Kuenz, A., et al., 2022.
date_
Focus_
Network-wide robust and resilient metaheuristic trajectory optimization under thunderstorm disruptions
Lavandier, J., et al., 2022.
date_
Focus_
Data-driven uncertainty quantification and propagation for probabilistic trajectory planning
Munoz, A., et al., 2022.
date_
Research-Driven
Turn complex problems into elegant, data-driven solutions.
Research-Driven
Turn complex problems into elegant, data-driven solutions.
Research-Driven
Turn complex problems into elegant, data-driven solutions.
At the R&D Department, we're not just
thinking outside the box — we’re redesigning the box, testing it, and then implementing it into practice.
Our Research & Development Team is the engine behind cutting-edge aviation software dealing with contrail avoidance, next-gen flight planning solutions, exploring bold ideas, funding opportunities, and collaborative innovation across Europe and beyond.
Flightkeys is a research-driven venture, permanently re-inventing ourselves with innovation and new areas of operation. We are proud of our fast track from basic research to implementation, utilizing the wide range of experience and interests of our team members.
R&D Contact
Any questions?
Any questions?
For inquiries regarding our research and development activities, collaborations, or project opportunities, please reach out to our team. We will respond to your request promptly and connect you with the appropriate contact person.
Address_
Herrengasse 2-4
1010 Vienna, Austria
email_
research@flightkeys.com
Linkedin_
FLIGHTKEYS Research and Development
Meet our team
Rigorous, Curious, Committed
Meet our team
Rigorous, Curious, Committed
Meet our team
Rigorous, Curious, Committed
From the cockpit to the cutting edge, Raimund Zopp has never taken a conventional flight path. With over 30 years in the skies as a pilot for Austrian Airlines (from DC9s to A340s), and a mind wired for innovation, he’s been shaping the future of aviation long before “green flying” was even a buzzword. As our Director of Innovation at FLIGHTKEYS, Raimund leads with altitude and attitude—co-founding not one, but three aviation software companies over time, pioneering cost-index flight operations, and diving deep into sustainable aviation long before it became urgent. Built the first PC-based flight planning system in the 1980s; Contributed to SESAR & H2020 projects; and Currently obsessing (in the best way) over contrail mitigation and sustainable flight strategies Say hello to one of the driving forces behind our future-focused flight planning philosophy.
From the cockpit to the cutting edge, Raimund Zopp has never taken a conventional flight path. With over 30 years in the skies as a pilot for Austrian Airlines (from DC9s to A340s), and a mind wired for innovation, he’s been shaping the future of aviation long before “green flying” was even a buzzword. As our Director of Innovation at FLIGHTKEYS, Raimund leads with altitude and attitude—co-founding not one, but three aviation software companies over time, pioneering cost-index flight operations, and diving deep into sustainable aviation long before it became urgent. Built the first PC-based flight planning system in the 1980s; Contributed to SESAR & H2020 projects; and Currently obsessing (in the best way) over contrail mitigation and sustainable flight strategies Say hello to one of the driving forces behind our future-focused flight planning philosophy.
An aerospace engineer, PhD candidate, and Head of Sustainability Research at FLIGHTKEYS, Alejandra is not just studying the skies—she’s changing them. With a sharp mind for air traffic management and a deep commitment to climate-conscious flight operations, she’s become a leading force in contrail research. 4+ years of focused research on contrail avoidance; Countless simulations and real-world trials; Peer-reviewed papers and global conference presentations; and Actively shaping how operators think—and act—on sustainable aviation Alejandra blends deep technical expertise with bold vision, helping transform contrail science into operational strategy. Her mission? Making sustainability standard, not optional. The next time your flight leaves no trail in the sky, it might just be thanks to her work behind the scenes.
An aerospace engineer, PhD candidate, and Head of Sustainability Research at FLIGHTKEYS, Alejandra is not just studying the skies—she’s changing them. With a sharp mind for air traffic management and a deep commitment to climate-conscious flight operations, she’s become a leading force in contrail research. 4+ years of focused research on contrail avoidance; Countless simulations and real-world trials; Peer-reviewed papers and global conference presentations; and Actively shaping how operators think—and act—on sustainable aviation Alejandra blends deep technical expertise with bold vision, helping transform contrail science into operational strategy. Her mission? Making sustainability standard, not optional. The next time your flight leaves no trail in the sky, it might just be thanks to her work behind the scenes.
As our R&D Project Manager at FLIGHTKEYS, Larissa brings a rare blend of legal insight, economic strategy, and research rigour to the aviation industry—because innovation doesn’t just need great ideas; it needs structure, strategy, and vision. Legal researcher turned aviation innovator, Project lead on decarbonisation, stakeholder engagement & sustainable development, and PhD in Public Law and Political Science with a focus on sustainability and climate policy With a CV that reads like a world tour of impact-driven work, Larissa’s leap into aviation tech is anything but random—it’s her next bold move in a career defined by purpose, adaptability, and leadership.
As our R&D Project Manager at FLIGHTKEYS, Larissa brings a rare blend of legal insight, economic strategy, and research rigour to the aviation industry—because innovation doesn’t just need great ideas; it needs structure, strategy, and vision. Legal researcher turned aviation innovator, Project lead on decarbonisation, stakeholder engagement & sustainable development, and PhD in Public Law and Political Science with a focus on sustainability and climate policy With a CV that reads like a world tour of impact-driven work, Larissa’s leap into aviation tech is anything but random—it’s her next bold move in a career defined by purpose, adaptability, and leadership.
At FLIGHTKEYS, Thomas brings together advanced machine learning research and development — turning complex scientific ideas into practical technology for the aviation industry. PhD in Artificial Intelligence; Software engineer with experience across technology and aviation companies; Background in Business Informatics and Bioinformatics; and Published researcher in machine learning, reinforcement learning and language models His journey from AI research to aviation technology reflects a career built on curiosity, technical depth and real-world problem-solving. From neural networks to flight planning, Thomas is helping bring intelligent research from theory into the cockpit.
At FLIGHTKEYS, Thomas brings together advanced machine learning research and development — turning complex scientific ideas into practical technology for the aviation industry. PhD in Artificial Intelligence; Software engineer with experience across technology and aviation companies; Background in Business Informatics and Bioinformatics; and Published researcher in machine learning, reinforcement learning and language models His journey from AI research to aviation technology reflects a career built on curiosity, technical depth and real-world problem-solving. From neural networks to flight planning, Thomas is helping bring intelligent research from theory into the cockpit.
As a part-time Machine Learning Developer at FLIGHTKEYS, Matthias supports the research team by transforming innovative concepts into practical, ML-based solutions. 🤖 Development of machine-learning applications 💻 Technical implementation of research concepts 🧠 Collaboration with Thomas on advanced ML solutions 🤝 Close cooperation with the broader development team Working at the intersection of research and software development, Matthias helps bridge the gap between scientific ideas and functional technology—ensuring that promising research can evolve into real-world aviation solutions. From research concepts to working code, Matthias helps bring machine-learning innovation to life.
As a part-time Machine Learning Developer at FLIGHTKEYS, Matthias supports the research team by transforming innovative concepts into practical, ML-based solutions. 🤖 Development of machine-learning applications 💻 Technical implementation of research concepts 🧠 Collaboration with Thomas on advanced ML solutions 🤝 Close cooperation with the broader development team Working at the intersection of research and software development, Matthias helps bridge the gap between scientific ideas and functional technology—ensuring that promising research can evolve into real-world aviation solutions. From research concepts to working code, Matthias helps bring machine-learning innovation to life.
Michael combines advanced analytical methods with scientific insight—transforming complex data into meaningful research and practical solutions for aviation. 📊 Specialises in probabilistic and statistical data analysis 🤖 Expertise in machine learning 🌦️ Experience with meteorology- and physics-related applications 📚 Experienced scientific author and referee With extensive experience in scientific research and publishing, they also support the team in developing, reviewing and strengthening scientific papers and research outputs—helping ensure that our work is rigorous, credible and impactful. From complex datasets to publication-ready research, they help turn scientific evidence into aviation innovation.
Michael combines advanced analytical methods with scientific insight—transforming complex data into meaningful research and practical solutions for aviation. 📊 Specialises in probabilistic and statistical data analysis 🤖 Expertise in machine learning 🌦️ Experience with meteorology- and physics-related applications 📚 Experienced scientific author and referee With extensive experience in scientific research and publishing, they also support the team in developing, reviewing and strengthening scientific papers and research outputs—helping ensure that our work is rigorous, credible and impactful. From complex datasets to publication-ready research, they help turn scientific evidence into aviation innovation.
As a Senior Developer transitioning into research at FLIGHTKEYS, Oliver combines extensive software-development experience with a growing focus on applying machine learning to complex flight-planning challenges. 💻 Experienced senior software developer 🔬 Bridging technical development and scientific research 🤖 Exploring classical machine learning and deep learning approaches ✈️ Applying ML to flight-planning challenges such as trajectory prediction Working at the intersection of research and development, Oliver helps transform advanced machine-learning concepts into practical solutions for aviation. From predicting trajectories to improving flight-planning technology, Oliver is bringing a developer’s precision and a researcher’s curiosity to aviation innovation.
As a Senior Developer transitioning into research at FLIGHTKEYS, Oliver combines extensive software-development experience with a growing focus on applying machine learning to complex flight-planning challenges. 💻 Experienced senior software developer 🔬 Bridging technical development and scientific research 🤖 Exploring classical machine learning and deep learning approaches ✈️ Applying ML to flight-planning challenges such as trajectory prediction Working at the intersection of research and development, Oliver helps transform advanced machine-learning concepts into practical solutions for aviation. From predicting trajectories to improving flight-planning technology, Oliver is bringing a developer’s precision and a researcher’s curiosity to aviation innovation.
Careers
Careers also want to fly high
We are continuously building up a creative and motivated team of developers, testers, engineers and system experts and if you would like to participate in creating, supporting and delivering solutions for mission critical systems and work for customers around the world, we would be excited to hear from you.
Careers
Careers also want to fly high
We are continuously building up a creative and motivated team of developers, testers, engineers and system experts and if you would like to participate in creating, supporting and delivering solutions for mission critical systems and work for customers around the world, we would be excited to hear from you.
Careers
Careers also want to fly high
We are continuously building up a creative and motivated team of developers, testers, engineers and system experts and if you would like to participate in creating, supporting and delivering solutions for mission critical systems and work for customers around the world, we would be excited to hear from you.
© 2026 FLIGHTKEYS GmbH All Rights Reserved.
© 2026 FLIGHTKEYS GmbH All Rights Reserved.
© 2026 FLIGHTKEYS GmbH All Rights Reserved.