Aerospace

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Amprius rolls out high-density SiCore batteries with extended cycle life

Amprius Technologies, a manufacturer of next-generation lithium-ion batteries, has unveiled its new SiCore product platform, with the aim of revolutionising electric mobility. The company has also branded its existing silicon nanowire platform, SiMaxx, with its current product range of up to 500 Wh/kg and 1,300 Wh/L energy density.

Grid

Mini-spoiler alert for faster flight

Researchers at the University of Bath are investigating how deploying spoiler-like devices called mini-tabs could help electric aircraft fly faster (writes Nick Flaherty). Mini-tabs can counteract the damaging vibrations caused by whirl flutter that occurs at high flight speeds. Maxon has provided the motion systems to test the effectiveness of the mini-tabs on a novel wind tunnel test rig.

Deep Insight

Electric motors for aircraft

Developments in motors for e-aircraft are becoming intertwined with issues of energy storage and certification. Nick Flaherty reports There are many different designs for motors being developed for a variety of electric aircraft platforms, from vertical take-off air taxis to 100-seaters with a flying time of an hour or so for regional flights.

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Helix announces success of aerospace electric propulsion demonstrator project

Motors and inverters manufacturer Helix has announced the completion of its direct drive scalable aerospace electric propulsion demonstrator technology project. Known internally as the XBS, the project ran in partnership with the UK’s Midlands

Digest

Rolls-Royce Spirit of Innovation

Peter Donaldson examines the design and technology that went into making this electric aircraft a record-breaker. Electric aviation is roughly where piston-powered flight was in the 1920s and ’30s, in that record-breaking really matters to the credibility of the idea almost as much as to the impetus it gives to the development of electric aircraft technology.

Dossier

magniX magni350, 650 and magniDrive 100

Rory Jackson looks at how these electric powertrains and their inverter have been designed for crewed aircraft integrators In every part of aerospace engineering, a race is on to break new ground and claim headline-grabbing milestones in sustainable aviation. While it might seem to some that commercial airliners are moving at a sluggish pace...

PS

Better eVTOL landings

Battery-powered manned eVTOL aircraft intended to operate to and from urban vertiports have a sharply limited energy budget, so designing energy-efficient flight profiles for them is obviously important – and if those profiles can also improve passenger comfort and safety at the same time, so much the better

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Universal Hydrogen completes first flight of fuel cell regional airliner

Universal Hydrogen has flown a 40-passenger regional

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Airbus discusses role of hybridisation in aviation’s future

Airbus says it believes hybrid-electric power can reduce aircraft CO2 emissions by up to 5%, and by up to 10% for helicopters. It has already flight tested a hybrid-

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ZeroAvia tests hydrogen-electric aircraft

ZeroAvia has flown a 19-seat Dornier 228 twin-engine aircraft as a testbed for its full-sized hydrogen fuel cell engine (writes Nick Flaherty). The aircraft was retrofitted