Strengthening scientific innovation, NPU has made outstanding contributions to technology advancement. Following the strategic direction of "Four Orientations", NPU has refined the "Direction-Team-Platform-Project-Achievement" innovation chain, coordinating efforts to strengthen breakthroughs in core technologies. NPU promotes the two-way synergy of "0 to 1" breakthroughs in basic sciences and "1 to 0" applications in engineering technology, providing robust support for accelerating self-reliance and self-strengthening in high-level science and technology. NPU is the birthplace of China's first small unmanned aerial vehicle, the first 50 kg-class underwater unmanned intelligent vehicle, the first airborne computer, the first airborne dipping sonar, and the world's first 12U CubeSat "Aoxiang-1". NPU has deeply participated in the construction of six national laboratories, leading the establishment of nine national-level platforms, including National Key Laboratories, National Engineering Laboratories, and Belt and Road Joint Laboratories. It has co-established 19 national-level platforms, including National Key Laboratories, National Technology Innovation Centers, and National Engineering Research Centers. NPU has been deeply involved in major national sci-tech projects such as the large aircraft program, aero-engine and gas turbine program, and manned spaceflight program. It is one of only two universities honored as "Contributing Units to China's First Manned Spaceflight Mission". In recent years, NPU has continuously strengthened its capacity to serve national strategies. The scaled-down test aircraft of the blended-wing-body large passenger jet successfully completed its maiden flight. The "Feitian-1" and "Feitian-2" rocket-based combined cycle power systems successively succeeded in test flights. The "Macao Science-1" satellite B-star was successfully launched and put into operation. A certain high-maneuverability target drone filled domestic gaps. New types of underwater unmanned systems, such as the manta ray-inspired vehicle, were successfully developed. Significant progress was made in a certain underwater unmanned system led by NPU, making new contributions to forging powerful tools for the nation. As a pioneer in China's UAV development, NPU achieved the country's first comprehensive export of UAV systems, technologies, and production lines. It holds the first National Key Laboratory and National Engineering Research Center in China's UAV field, and boasts the only specialized UAV flight test base among Chinese universities, comprehensively advancing UAV research and industrial development. During the military parades marking the 60th National Day and the 90th Anniversary of the PLA's Founding, the entire UAV formation was independently developed and produced by NPU, receiving the review of the Party and the people. In the Military Parade of the 70th Anniversary of the People's Republic of China, NPU's UAVs once again passed through Tian'anmen Square for review. During the Military Parade commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, nearly 40 NPU research teams deeply participated in the development of national strategic equipment in the fields of aviation, aerospace, marine technology, weaponry, and unmanned systems. Notably, all equipment models in the reviewed air echelon incorporated technological contributions from NPU. NPU strengthens basic research and promotes interdisciplinary integration, continuously publishing original achievements in top-tier journals such as Nature, Science, and Cell. Since the 13th Five-Year Plan period, NPU has won 28 National Three Major Awards. In 2023, it led the way in winning 6 national awards, ranking 5th among Chinese universities. NPU has secured over 360 projects with funding exceeding 10 million yuan each, with total scientific research funding surpassing 47 billion yuan. In 2025 alone, the research funding exceeded 7 billion yuan.
