AIRBUS PHOTO


Helicopters is working on an electric backup system that would provide up to


30 seconds of power to the rotor system in case of engine failure.


Power Play C


Using both the H125


(in background) and H130 models as test beds, Airbus


36 ROTOR 2020 Q4


Will electric motors propel the next generation of helicopters? By Paul Seidenman


LIMATE CHANGE HAS ACCELERATED research on alternatives to fossil fuels, with electric propulsion viewed as a leading con- tender. While the fixed-wing and advanced air mobility sectors are blazing the trails,


research and development into electric propulsion for heli- copters is also in progress, although to a much lesser degree. Currently, electric helicopters account for only about 5% of all publicly known electric aircraft developments, according to the Roland Berger Electric Aircraft Database. As Nikhil Sachdeva, project manager and lead for electric propulsion at the London-based consulting firm explains, the electrifi- cation of a helicopter simply requires replacing the fuel tank and turboshaft assembly with a completely electric power train comprising a battery, power electronics, electric motors, and the necessary cabling.


“Tese subsystems are already seeing success in small


general aviation aircraft and in urban air mobility, and we expect them to be relevant for small to medium-sized heli- copters,” Sachdeva says. One constraint on electric propulsion for all vehicles is


the current limits of energy density, which is the amount of energy stored in a battery per unit volume. Sachdeva adds that further improvements are constantly being made in battery energy densities and costs, primarily driven by the automotive sector, that extend the range of electric-powered helicopters and enable larger helicopters to be electrified.


All-Electric versus Hybrid As with automobiles, helicopters in the future could be offered with an all-electric or a hybrid solution. An all-electric rotorcraft would derive all of its propulsion energy from a


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