A system for an aircraft comprising: a component (400, 500, 600, 700, 900) of the aircraft having a surface, wherein the component (400, 500, 600, 700, 900) comprises at least a portion of at least one of the following: an aircraft wing, an aircraft tail, an air foil, an aircraft rudder, an aircraft control surface such as a flap or an elevator, a wind turbine blade, an engine intake surface, a helicopter rotor blade, and a refrigeration coil cooling fin; a plurality of actuators (114, 116, 118, 1004, 1210) each positioned proximate to a portion of the surface; and a control unit coupled to the plurality of actuators (114, 116, 118, 1004, 1210), the control unit configured to drive one or more of the plurality of actuators (114, 116, 118, 1004, 1210) at one or more frequencies between 1 Hz and about 1 kHz; wherein the plurality of actuators (114, 116, 118, 1004, 1210) are each configured to introduce a displacement of the surface in three dimensions to inhibit a formation of ice on at least the portion of the surface and/or to break up existing ice formations on at least the portion of the surface; wherein each of the plurality of actuators (114, 116, 118, 1004, 1210) comprises a piezoelectric actuator (114, 116, 118, 1004, 1210), and the plurality of actuators (114, 116, 118, 1004, 1210) are flexible and substantially conform to a curvature of the surface; wherein the surface comprises an inner facing portion (402, 502, 602, 702) and an outer facing portion, said outer facing portion being exposed during flight, characterised in that a plurality of actuator strips (406, 504, 604, 704, 902), each comprising one or more of said actuators, are disposed on said inner facing portion, said actuators being macro fiber composite actuators. a component (400, 500, 600, 700, 900) of the aircraft having a surface, wherein the component (400, 500, 600, 700, 900) comprises at least a portion of at least one of the following: an aircraft wing, an aircraft tail, an air foil, an aircraft rudder, an aircraft control surface such as a flap or an elevator, a wind turbine blade, an engine intake surface, a helicopter rotor blade, and a refrigeration coil cooling fin; a plurality of actuators (114, 116, 118, 1004, 1210) each positioned proximate to a portion of the surface; and a control unit coupled to the plurality of actuators (114, 116, 118, 1004, 1210), the control unit configured to drive one or more of the plurality of actuators (114, 116, 118, 1004, 1210) at one or more frequencies between 1 Hz and about 1 kHz; wherein the plurality of actuators (114, 116, 118, 1004, 1210) are each configured to introduce a displacement of the surface in three dimensions to inhibit a formation of ice on at least the portion of the surface and/or to break up existing ice formations on at least the portion of the surface; wherein each of the plurality of actuators (114, 116, 118, 1004, 1210) comprises a piezoelectric actuator (114, 116, 118, 1004, 1210), and the plurality of actuators (114, 116, 118, 1004, 1210) are flexible and substantially conform to a curvature of the surface; wherein the surface comprises an inner facing portion (402, 502, 602, 702) and an outer facing portion, said outer facing portion being exposed during flight, characterised in that a plurality of actuator strips (406, 504, 604, 704, 902), each comprising one or more of said actuators, are disposed on said inner facing portion, said actuators being macro fiber composite actuators.