{"id":11441,"date":"2017-05-27T22:04:19","date_gmt":"2017-05-28T05:04:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/?p=11441"},"modified":"2017-05-27T22:04:19","modified_gmt":"2017-05-28T05:04:19","slug":"mahepa-modularizing-the-approach-to-clean-flight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/cafe.foundation\/blog\/mahepa-modularizing-the-approach-to-clean-flight\/","title":{"rendered":"MAHEPA, Modularizing the Approach to Clean Flight"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pipistrel, itself flying pure electric and hybrid aircraft, has announced its participation in MAHEPA, a M<\/strong>odular A<\/strong>pproach to H<\/strong>ybrid-E<\/strong>lectric P<\/strong>ropulsion A<\/strong>rchitecture<\/a>.\u00a0 MAHEPA aims to,\u201d reduce the gap between research and the production of low-emission propulsion technologies that would enable the achievement of environmental objectives in the field of aviation by 2050.\u201d\u00a0 Mahepa\u2019s first meeting, held May 15 and 16 at Pipistrel\u2019s headquarters at Ajdovscina (Slovenia), helped define the direction for a major academic\/industry project.<\/p>\n

Led by the aircraft manufacturer, in cooperation with Compact Dynamics<\/a>, DLR (Germany\u2019s equivalent of NASA)<\/a>, the University of Ulm<\/a>, H2Fly<\/a>, Politecnico di Milano<\/a>, TU Delft<\/a> and University of Maribor<\/a>, project goals are impressive. \u2013 \u201cTo boost research in the field of low emission propulsion technology to open up possibilities for series production of greener airplanes in order to support European environmental goals in aviation.\u201d\u00a0 This will result in \u201cnovel, modular and scalable hybrid-electric powertrains capable of running on alternative fuels or on hydrogen with zero emissions.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Taurus Electro was first production electric motorglider in 2007<\/p><\/div>\n

Pipistrel would seem to be an ideal anchor point for such research, having flown its first electric aircraft, the Taurus G2 self-launching motorglider 10 years ago.\u00a0 Combining two fuselages and outer wing panels from G2s with a specially-constructed center section and motor mount, the battery-powered G4 won the NASA Green Flight Challenge sponsored by Google in 2011.\u00a0 After a brief retirement, the airplane was resurrected as the HY4, a hydrogen-fueled, long-range tourer that could be the genesis for aerial inter-urban taxi services.<\/p>\n

Mahepa\u2019s approach will to build two high-efficiency, low-emission, series hybrid-electric drive designs, one running a relatively conventional fossil-fuel powered setup, and the other a hydrogen-based drive system.\u00a0 Both versions will operate with a common control module programmed to provide optimum use of each craft\u2019s energy.\u00a0 Each partner will contribute its expertise in propulsion, energy storage, and aerodynamics.<\/p>\n

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Model HY4 at Hanover trade show with representatives who will also be part of MAHEPA<\/p><\/div>\n

Compact Dynamics, for instance, makes electric motor and controller combinations, small, light-weight packages that live up to the company\u2019s name.\u00a0 The University of Ulm has ongoing research projects in energy conversion and storage, Autonomous mobility, and sensor technology and signal processing.\u00a0 DLR, the German Aerospace Center, will doubtless provide oversight in many technologies and protocols that will come from this project.\u00a0 The University of Ulm, performing research in related areas such as autonomous driving and sensor technology and signal processing, can supply insights into how these craft will navigate and (in a highly technical way) see and be seen. \u00a0H2Fly is developing the \u201csky taxi\u201d model on which routes and on-demand services will be developed.\u00a0 Politecnico di Milano, through previous research on the Skyspark electric airplane, is well-positioned to add valuable insights.\u00a0 TU Delft has a long history of research in renewable energy, aerodynamics, and control of drones.\u00a0 The University of Maribor brings together a variety of disciplines in its IOT \u2013 Innovative Open Technologies program.\u00a0 Together, this amalgamation of knowledge and talent should produce a world-class outcome \u2013 and \u201cthe development of new commercial, low-emission and highly efficient aircraft.\u201d<\/p>\n

This project should expand Pipistrel\u2019s demonstrated skills in producing commercially viable small aircraft, show the way toward more flexibility in how we power our aircraft in an efficient and clean way. \u00a0From the small airplanes used for investigating the two approaches, the group hopes to make conclusions leading to megawatt hybrid propulsion systems and a future for bigger, better, and greener aerial adventures. \u00a0All projects will strive for a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 6, having been demonstrated in its intended working environment.<\/p>\n

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Technology Readiness Level table used to indicate status of new technology<\/p><\/div>\n

The project notes broader outcomes: \u201cWithin MAHEPA not only new technologies will be developed, but also regulatory implications, airport infrastructure requirements, airspace procedural practices, operational safety, operating costs and emission models will be studied resulting in a unique outlook for regulators, aviation industry, operators and investors.\u201d<\/p>\n

The public will get a first look at MAHEPA\u2019s efforts at the Paris Air Show between June 19 and 25, 2017.\u00a0 Pipistrel\u2019s CEO, Ivo Boscarol predicts, \u201cHybrid-electric propulsion will change the way we travel. Pipistrel flew the world\u2019s first two seat electric aircraft more almost exactly ten years ago. Since, battery performance has more than doubled, but the near future long-range flight will be enabled by a combination of batteries and range extending technologies. In project MAHEPA we are contributing to the development of two different four passenger aircraft which will be thoroughly tested in flight. This alone is a historic milestone, but with the envisioned scalability of hybrid electric propulsion technology we will soon see much larger environmentally friendly aircraft capable of flying 19 or more passengers across practical distances.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n