[71] Propelled by an enormous 192-kw-equivalent water-cooled DC brushless motor, it’s claimed to be the world’s most powerful electric aircraft flying. [55], The NASA Puffin was a concept, proposed in 2010, for an electric-powered, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), personal air vehicle. Electric aircraft are transitioning from the experimental stage to market entry, with electric propulsion units currently ranging from 45kW to 260kW (60hp to 350hp)—adequate for small personal aircraft. [61] In July 2017, Scaled Composites is modifying a first P2006T by replacing the piston engines with electric motors, to fly early in 2018, then will move the motors to the wingtips to increase propulsive efficiency and finally will instal of the high aspect ratio wing with 12 smaller props. As of 23 July 2010 it holds the endurance record for an unmanned aerial vehicle of over 2 weeks (336 hours). In an attempt to create a more practical solution than the clumsy balloons then in use, the Austro-Hungarian Petróczy-Kármán-Žurovec PKZ-1 electric-powered helicopter was flown in 1917. [9], As electric machines and converters are more efficient, their shaft power available is closer to 145 Wh/kg of battery while a gas turbine gives 6,545 Wh/kg of fuel: a 45:1 ratio. Noise and exhaust emissions are also reduced compared with combustion engines. [76] The battery alone was capable of powering the motor for 3 to 5 minutes, following a 1.5-hour charge, enabling it to reach a gliding altitude. The concept was taken from the conceptual computer-aided design model on September 10, 2010 to the first testing at 30% power on March 1, 2011—less than six months. [citation needed], In September 2016, Martine Rothblatt and Tier1 Engineering successfully tested an electric-powered helicopter. This paper discusses an approach for thermal management of a smart electric motor for hybrid electric aircraft propulsion. [56], The European Commission has financed many low TRL projects for innovative electric or hybrid propulsion aircraft. Air is bled from the engines’ high-pressure compressor; the pneumatic power obtained from this is used to power the environment control system and supply the hot air for the wing ice protection … First Practical Hybrid Aircraft Takes To The Skies And Could Save Many Lives Extremetech. The e-plane – a 62-year-old, six-passenger DHC-2 de Havilland Beaver seaplane retrofitted with a 750hp electric motor – was piloted by Greg McDougall, founder and chief executive of Harbour Air. 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We would need two of these batteries at 160 kg to fly our hypothetical flight. An 100 Ah Lithium Polymer or Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiPo, LiFePO4) battery of 133,2 V contains some 48 MJ of energy and weighs around 85 kg, not including the controller (~10 kg) (source: Yuneec). [21] In the 1980s several such designs stored electricity generated by pedalling, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Monarch and the Aerovironment Bionic Bat. It currently uses a two stroke engine, which needs to run at 5200 to 6200 rpm to generate the … [46][47], In 2017, Siemens used a modified Extra EA-300 acrobatic airplane, the 330LE, to set two new records: on March 23 at the Dinslaken Schwarze Heide airfield in Germany, the aircraft reached a top speed of around 340 km/h (180 kn) over three kilometers; the next day, it became the first glider towing electric aircraft. As such you may conclude is that the energy density of batteries are much lower than of liquid fuels and therefore you will see only small two-seat full electric aircraft with small battery packs with and endurance of around an hour or so. magniX makes electric propulsion systems including motors, inverters and motor controllers for commercial aviation. A demonstrator for the German Scylax E10 10-seater should fly in 2022, it should be used by FLN Frisia Luftverkehr to connect East Frisian islands with its 300 km (160 nmi) range and 300 m (980 ft) short takeoff and landing distance. Copyright 2006 - 2020, Experimental Aircraft Info. "The first aircraft may not be that competitive, but, as happened with cars, governments may use regulation to support electric aircraft, on the basis that they are quieter and less polluting." [31] In July 2010 a Zephyr made a world record UAV endurance flight of 336 hours, 22 minutes and 8 seconds (more than two weeks) and also set an altitude record of 70,742 feet (21,562 m) for FAI class U-1.c (remotely controlled UAV: weight 50 kg to less than 500 kg). Several companies make, or have demonstrated, light aircraft suitable for initial flight training. On July 7, 1997, Pathfinder raised the altitude record for solar–powered aircraft to 71,530 feet (21,800 m), which was also the record for propeller–driven aircraft. Our Sales team quotes all incoming orders and communicates every work order detail to keep our customers well informed. The potential of electric and hybrid-electric propulsion remains limited for general aviation, according to Textron Aviation, as the specific energy of electricity storage is still 2% of aviation fuel. Unlike a battery, the fluids are not stored in the battery but are drawn in from outside. The 60+ kW electric motor only weighs 20 kg and is more powerful than the popular Rotax 912 series, typically used on microlights and LSAs.