EcoPulse flight test campaign ends, provides insight into hybrid-electric propulsion aircraft
Accumulation of 100 flight hours and 50 test flights deliver findings into design, certification, production and operations that will lay the groundwork for future aircraft.
The EcoPulse during flight testing. Source | Jean-Marie Urlacher
On Dec. 10, the flight test campaign for EcoPulse, the distributed hybrid-electric propulsion aircraft demonstrator developed jointly by French-based companies Daher (Paris), Safran (Paris) and Airbus (Toulouse), was concluded. The collaborative project delivered crucial insights related to the design, certification, production and operation of hybrid-electric aircraft, to meet the decarbonization goals for air transport by 2050.
EcoPulse performed its first hybrid-electric test flight on Nov. 29, 2023, from Tarbes–Lourdes–Pyrénées Airport. Since its maiden flight, EcoPulse accumulated 100 flight hours and performed some 50 test flights with the distributed hybrid propulsion system, the last of which took place in July 2024. These tests enabled the demonstration of onboard electric power levels for distributed electric propulsion, with a network voltage of approximately 800 volts DC and a power output of 350 kilowatts.
According to partners, the flight tests yielded significant findings, including an objective evaluation of hybridization technologies; maturity, a performance assessment when integrated into the aircraft and an identification of operational limitations.
For instance, the tests showed that the synchro-phasing of the ePropellers (electric motors) can reduce interior noise. This synchro-phasing is an additional benefit of the flight control computer, primarily designed to maneuver the aircraft — substituting traditional control surfaces — by adjusting the distribution of electric power among the ePropellers.
More broadly, EcoPulse identified key challenges in decarbonizing aviation:
- Electric and hybrid-electric architectures
- Development of key components: batteries (performance and operational range) and high-voltage management systems (>400 volts)
- Pilot assistance with specialized interfaces
- Demonstration logic for airworthiness
- Optimization of weight and noise
- Skills associated with managing complexity.
The flight test campaign laid the groundwork for compliance documents to meet regulatory requirements for hybrid-electric propulsion flights, establishing the basis for certifying the safety of innovative aircraft configurations.
The EcoPulse project also showcased the strength of high-level cooperation between Daher, Safran and Airbus. “We are particularly pleased with the success of the EcoPulse program and its results,” says Eric Dalbiès, senior VP –strategy and CTO at Safran. “This was the first time we tested a complete hybrid-electric propulsion system in flight, and these trials represented a significant milestone in our technology roadmap. The lessons learned enable us to continue validating decarbonization technologies.”
Daher says the project enabled it to design an operational system for a demonstration prototype while Airbus is advancing certain hybrid-electric technologies, such as high-voltage batteries, and integrating them into future aircraft, helicopters and air mobility solutions.
Related Content
-
Cryo-compressed hydrogen, the best solution for storage and refueling stations?
Cryomotive’s CRYOGAS solution claims the highest storage density, lowest refueling cost and widest operating range without H2 losses while using one-fifth the carbon fiber required in compressed gas tanks.
-
Combining multifunctional thermoplastic composites, additive manufacturing for next-gen airframe structures
The DOMMINIO project combines AFP with 3D printed gyroid cores, embedded SHM sensors and smart materials for induction-driven disassembly of parts at end of life.
-
PEEK vs. PEKK vs. PAEK and continuous compression molding
Suppliers of thermoplastics and carbon fiber chime in regarding PEEK vs. PEKK, and now PAEK, as well as in-situ consolidation — the supply chain for thermoplastic tape composites continues to evolve.
