Successful entry: PomoΔoro – TU Munich
Successful entry: PomoΔoro – TU Munich
PomoΔoro is a modular regional aircraft, developed as part of the DLR Design Challenge 2026, which advances the decarbonisation of short-haul flights through innovative energy modularity. The aircraft is based on an interchangeable energy box (PoMod) that can be fitted with either a battery pack or a hydrogen fuel cell, and is connected to the airframe via a standardised DC bus. The combination of distributed variable-pitch propellers, boundary-layer suction and morphing structures maximises efficiency, while a permanent lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄) safety battery ensures the power supply to the control surfaces in all failure scenarios. The design, based on a minimum lift-to-drag ratio of L/D ≥ 25, results in a high-aspect-ratio, structurally supported high-wing configuration with an aspect ratio of 15–18. PomoΔoro demonstrates that modularity of the energy source – rather than commitment to a single technology – represents the most robust strategy for an uncertain but future-oriented fleet landscape through to 2050.
Credit:
TU Munich/PomoΔoro