More Electrical Aircraft

Depending on the class of electric aircraft and its degree of electrification, which can range from powering on-board equipment to propulsion, different power systems can be envisaged and integrated with different electrical architectures.

While the performance of energy storage technologies can now be used to initiate the commercial development of all-electric light aircraft, electric hybridization strategies for the propulsion of commercial aircraft such as those used on regional routes are already being studied.

Whatever their mission, from auxiliary power supply to propulsion, the key parameters for energy storage systems are safety, reliability, energy/power ratio, service life (cycling and calendar) and the level of certification required. In particular, the energy/power ratio required differs between all-electric and hybrid-electric applications, thus conditioning technology selection.

The safety performance of the storage system needs to be qualified according to standards not only for aeronautical applications (DO), but also for handling and transport on land (UN 38.3). Standards for electric propulsion in the aeronautical sector are currently being defined by the SAE International working group.

This article reviews the current state of the art and details the aircraft electrification technologies/strategies currently under study. It looks at the storage technology, the complete system (power electronics and electric drive train), the aircraft platform (low-voltage-high-voltage), maintenance and the business model for electrification.