LE BOURGET—Spanish engine manufacturer ITP Aero has revealed plans to study all-electric propulsion technology for the urban and regional air mobility markets under two newly announced national research programs.
The initiative forms part of ITP's efforts to expand its portfolio beyond current medium and large commercial turbofans and military engines to include more sustainable hybrid-electric and even hydrogen-fueled propulsion systems. In March ITP announced it was leading a national consortium targeting the test and development of the first in-country-developed, hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft engine.
Between the two programs ITP and its partners will cover the 60-600-kW power range with five demonstrators, says Erlantz Cristobal, ITP's executive director of engineering and technology. Tests are expected to run through 2026-27 and culminate in the development of integrated electrical propulsion systems to a pre-production technology readiness level 6.
“We’re aiming to try and integrate the power electronics with electrical motors, and with as much power density as possible. We want to integrate the systems from a safety point of view and have a system that is scalable and can be used in different platforms. We believe that the urban and regional mobility sector is going to be a growth market for the next decade and we need to prepare ourselves,” Cristobal says. The initial target is all-electric, “but we can hybridize later as necessary,” he adds.
Involving Spanish industrial and academic partners, the Aperturas program includes the design and development of two demonstrator vehicles with different power levels: the smaller one for typical UAM applications, and the larger targeted at regional projects. The project is funded by the Spanish Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI) under the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the national Aeronautical Technology Program.
The Preludio program, which is subsidized by a Basque Government business R&D support initiative, is aimed at the design and development of a scalable and certifiable electric propulsion system capable of being used at higher altitudes.
“I think the focus for many UAM projects is how they will need integrated power systems and this is the value we can bring. This is where we can bring our expertise to the market,” Cristobal says.
ITP is meanwhile continuing to ramp up research work under the €12 million ($13 million) Cryogenics, Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Combustion in Air Transport project, which is co-supported by European Union Next Gen strategic investment funding and forms part of the Spanish Ministry of Science agency’s Aeronautical Technology Plan managed by CDTI.
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