Airbus' EcoPulse hybrid-electric distributed propulsion demonstrator aircraft has completed its maiden flight using its complete powertrain of ePropellers, high-density batteries, and a turbogenerator in support of aviation's decarbonization.
The 100-minute flight took off from Tarbes Airport on November 29 at 10:32 am CET, though it was not the very first flight of the EcoPulse. Along with ground tests, the aircraft had already carried out 10 hours of flight tests using the aircraft's main propeller powered by an internal combustion engine.
With the main propeller shut down, propulsion was provided during the most recent test by the six electric-powered ePropellers. In flight, the crew worked on verifying the demonstrator aircraft's flight control computer, high-voltage battery pack, distributed electric propulsion, and hybrid-electric turbo generator.
First unveiled at the 2019 Paris Air Show, the EcoPulse is a joint development of Airbus, Daher, and Safran. The airframe is a modified Daher TBM 900 turboprop aircraft with six wing-mounted propellers added. Each of these is driven by a 50-kW Safran ENGINeUS electric engine powered by an 800-V DC/350-kW battery pack or a 100-kW auxiliary turbo generator. In addition, there are acoustic monitors to measure noise levels and an advanced Flight Control Computer system.
The purpose of EcoPulse is not only to evaluate low-carbon aviation technology, but also to improve the design of a distributed-propulsion aircraft, flight-test a new high-voltage-battery configuration, produce simulation models to scale up the technology for larger aircraft, and to evaluate the aircraft's aerodynamics to reduce wing surface area and wingtip marginal vortexes to reduce drag.
"This is a major milestone for our industry and we’re proud to have powered the EcoPulse demonstrator first flight with our new battery systems," said Sabine Klauke, Chief Technical Officer at Airbus. "High-energy density batteries will be necessary to reduce carbon emissions from aviation, whether for light aircraft, advanced air mobility or large hybrid-electric aircraft. Projects like EcoPulse are key to accelerating progress in electric and hybrid electric flight, and a cornerstone of our aim to decarbonize the aerospace industry as a whole."
Source: Airbus