21st Century Technology Propels Electric Aircraft into the "Blue Yonder"

Oct 1, 2010 12:00 PM
Dr Peter Harrop, Chairman, IDTechEx Sam Davis, Editor-in-Chief PET

Regenerative braking in an aircraft sounds fanciful but recent studies indicate that a regenerative soaring feature is possible, whereby the propeller can be used as a turbine to recharge stored energy when the aircraft encounters an updraft. This is similar to the way the new hybrid electric motor-sailing boats will regenerate next year using their propulsion screws. An aircraft using regenerative soaring can potentially remain aloft indefinitely at high altitudes where the energy available from vertical atmospheric motion can exceed available solar power by a factor of ten or more. And remember that the pure electric Deepflight submarines of Hawkes Ocean Technologies act as aircraft underwater and have similar opportunities.

These and other electric vehicles will be shown at the IDTechEx Future of Electric Vehicles USA 2010 conference and exhibition in December.

The key to future success of electrical aircraft is the battery technology. In order for electric-powered aircraft to be successful on any scale, they will require the development of battery systems that provide increased storage density and usable life expectancy while reducing recharge time. Such battery systems could be initially expensive but come down in price as production economies of scale ramp up.

As with motor vehicles, the possibility of high-energy storage density (per unit volume and per unit mass) battery technologies will definitely enhance their use in small aircraft.

IDTECHEX FUTURE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES USA 2010

THE WORLD'S FIRST EVENT covering all forms of electric vehicle, the IDTechEx Future of Electric Vehicles USA 2010, takes place in San Jose, CA December 7-8. With an emphasis on future breakthroughs, speakers include pure electric aircraft maker PC-Aero, T-Ink, CEHMS, Hawkes Ocean Technologies and many more best-in-class operations from across the world. There is an exhibition, awards dinner - you are still in time to apply for an award - Master classes before and after and visits to local centers of excellence such as Kleenspeed with its Formula One 200mph all electric racing car. AFS Trinity reveals advanced hybrid architecture with fast ultra-capacitor storage. Some aircraft employ the third-generation lithium sulfur batteries so Oxis Energy presents on those, whereas PolyPlus looks at the lithium air option coming along. Deliberately, the whole event is designed to be of interest to those progressing electric vehicles by land, water and air. It will cross-fertilize new information and reveal the full potential to suppliers. It is the antidote to events that obsess about today's electric cars.

Registration is currently open for Future of Electric Vehicles USA 2010. Visit www.IDTechEx.com/evUSA for full details. If you are interested in speaking or exhibiting, please contact Teresa Henry at t.henry@IDTechEx.com.

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