Things Flight Testers Should Know About Electric Engines

As a follow on to the white paper “Things Flight Testers Should Know About Batteries”, this paper explores some of the unique challenges of testing aircraft powered by electric powertrains. Aircraft, installation, and system level topics are discussed, and critical interface considerations are included. Additionally, system integrity, performance determination, and safety-in-use considerations are detailed. An introduction to recommended instrumentation and control systems is provided. Onboard and remotely piloted architectures are considered, as well. Overall, this paper reinforces that the legacy foundations of flight testing are solid, and details how to build upon time proven approaches to safely assess novel propulsion technologies. READ NOW

Sara Roggia, magniX
Ben Loxton, magniX
Jennifer Uchida, AeroTEC Inc.
Rory Feely, FAA
Guy Gratton, Cranfield University
Ryan Pecoraro, Wisk Aero