The electrification of aviation
Electric flight – emission-free, with a new look and quieter
Electric flight combines several advantages; it is locally emission-free, quieter, and makes completely new mobility options possible.
First flight of four-passenger fuel cell aircraft
In September 2016, Hy4, the first four-seater passenger aircraft powered solely by a fuel cell system, embarked on its first flight from Stuttgart airport.
The road to climate-neutral aircraft
DLR is conducting a conceptual study to bring an ecologically efficient medium-haul aircraft into commercial flight by 2040.
Electric drive enables innovative aircraft concepts
Short and medium-haul aircraft concept with a hybrid electric drive.
Electromobility in the sky requires interdisciplinary research
Visionary aircraft configurations. A total of 20 DLR institutes from the fields of aviation, energy and atmospheric research are contributing their expertise to the EXACT (Exploration of Electric Aircraft Concepts and Technology) research project. The planning of production, operation and maintenance is incorporated into the aircraft design from the start. Whereas in the past, aircraft were developed primarily based on cost considerations and their impact on the climate was only analyzed afterwards, this process is being reversed for the first time in EXACT.
Artist's impression of the Electric Flight Demonstrator
While so far only battery-powered small aircraft are in operation and hybrid-electric small aircraft are currently undergoing flight tests, DLR, together with Siemens, MTU Aero Engines and RUAG Aviation, has conducted a feasibility study for a 19-seat test aircraft based on a Dornier Do-228. The study shows promising chances of success for the conversion and testing of a national Electric Flight Demonstrator, which has a complete electric propulsion system in the 500-kilowatt power class in the expansion stages of battery electric operation and hybrid electric operation with an additional gas turbine generator.After all, forecasts predict that the global aircraft fleet will double in size over the next 20 years. In order to ensure the future viability of the air transport system, it is therefore vital to significantly reduce the negative impacts. As such, research into alternative propulsion systems is set to play a key role in aviation.
Electric flight promises great potential
To this end, the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) is conducting research into hybrid-electric aircraft, which could constitute an important building block for future aviation. Electric flight opens up completely new possibilities for drastically reducing pollutant emissions from aircraft, as well as significantly reducing noise pollution. In addition, electric engines make completely new aircraft configurations possible, which should further reduce fuel consumption and thus emissions. Overall, electric aircraft have the potential to fundamentally change mobility, as quiet, clean means of transport pave the way for flying shuttle services directly from city centres to the nearest large airport.
DLR is researching the vision of electric flight
DLR is the only large-scale research institution in Europe that is in a position to study all aspects of electric flight and address the questions that are yet to be answered. To that end, DLR is conducting research into different propulsion technologies – from initial concepts and simulations all the way through to their integration into new aircraft configurations. At the same time, the researchers are investigating how this will impact the overall air transport system, looking at the expected effects for travellers, airlines and airports.
In response to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, one of the most important goals for future aviation is to be able to use electric propulsion systems for freight and passenger aircraft.
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Hy4 – the world's first four-seat passenger aircraft with hydrogen fuel cell technology and electric propulsion
In this manner, the Hy4 marks a milestone. It is a hybrid aircraft with PEM fuel cells and high-performance lithium batteries to support take-off and altitude changes. -
Electric high-flyer for 19 passengers
The configuration represents an electric high-flyer with gas turbines for cruise flight. The conceptual study includes four electric propellers and two gas turbines integrated into the inner nacelles parallel to the electric motors. Batteries are in the landing gear nacelles on the fuselage. -
Conceptual study of a hybrid electric 19-seater
DLR and Bauhaus Luftfahrt analysed the possibilities and potentials of hybrid-electric 19-seaters. The results show that electric drives can be used to save CO2 for short distances of up to 350 km that are frequently flown in this class. -
Conceptual study of a hybrid electric regional aircraft
The conceptual study presents a regional aircraft with distributed electric drives at the leading edges of the wings, which can improve efficiency and reduce energy consumption. Together with industrial partners, DLR is investigating the effects of distributing the propulsion masses over the entire aircraft. -
Hybrid electric short-haul aircraft
An electrically driven fan at the rear of the aircraft ingests the fuselage boundary layer, thereby improving propulsion efficiency. The research work is being carried out in the ADEC (Advanced Engine and Aircraft Configuration) project as part of the European Clean Sky 2 programme.
