Planning for a successful product landing with electric aircraft

Electrification is a very interesting topic in the realm of transportation, even putting aside the tailpipe emission reductions. Electric propulsion architectures can vastly reduce the number of wear components in a product and provide a more customizable design framework as you are no longer bound to large engines. But these benefits are not without new challenges. To talk about the electrification of the aerospace industry, Puneet Sinha and Nick Finberg sat down with Todd Tuthill, VP of Aerospace, Defense, and Marine Industries at Siemens Digital Industries Software, for a two-part discussion on The Battery Podcast.

For anyone that missed part one, it covers the two dominant aircraft product paths right now – point to point delivery and EVTOLs – as well as some of the major challenges aerospace companies are working on in conjunction with experts from the world of battery. But for part two, you will learn about the possibility of technology solutions to current battery limitations, the infrastructure around aircraft that makes a business possible, and even some of the long-term goals of an electric aircraft fleet. You can listen to the full discussion below, or scroll on past to get some of the highlights.

For those just dipping their foot into the wide world of aerospace and electrification, the durability and weight requirements might point towards an adoption of some innovative battery technologies like solid-state cells, but it is important to remember how conservative aerospace companies must be when designing products for the commercial aerospace sector. As soon as a member of the public is expected to be on an aircraft, the testing and safety requirements of that product grow immensely. Before solid state battery technologies ever make their way into commercial aerospace, they will need to prove their value, safety, and durability in personal electronics and the automotive markets.

Part of the challenge of implementing electric aircraft, especially in newer form factors, is the criticality of battery performance. Not only do packs need to deliver the required currents and voltages for take-off and landing stages, there needs to be a highly-accurate system for monitoring state of charge, battery health, and available power. These characteristics will naturally change over the life of a battery, but also during a single flight. Pilots and operators need accurate information to operate within the safety margins of the FAA. This is exacerbated by innovative aircraft like eVTOLs which do not have the same safety characteristics as fixed wing aircraft. The shift toward software-defined products necessitates a digital-first approach to development and a streamlined method to link the requirements and capabilities of integrated mechanical, electronic, and software systems.

Digitalization from the beginning is a benefit for most any aerospace project, but for startups trying to secure funding or providing updates to investors, it can be invaluable. With a comprehensive digital toolset, companies can demonstrate the profitability and viability of their designs before investing the time and resources in a physical prototype. Simulations can be run to understand the required performance in greater detail, connections with critical suppliers in the battery industry or more traditional aerospace supply chain can be made earlier, and regulators can be updated during development to accelerate some of the certification process.

Siemens has a unique position for this possible future of electrified aircraft. As a preferred technology solution provider for both the aerospace and battery industries, we can help our customers on their path of digital innovation. Whether it is adopting digital twin technology, increased automation across design and manufacturing, generative AI tools, greater data intelligence, or one of the many permutations, we are positioned to help companies explore new concepts, accelerate development, and continuously improve their designs based on closed loop data with the real world.

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Siemens Digital Industries (DI) is a leading innovator in automation and digitalization. In close cooperation with its partners and customers, DI is the driving force for the digital transformation in the process and manufacturing industries. With its Digital Enterprise portfolio, Siemens provides companies of all sizes with all the necessary products, along with consistent solutions and services for the integration and digitalization of the entire value chain. Optimized for the specific requirements of individual industries, this unique portfolio enables customers to enhance their productivity and flexibility. DI continuously extends its portfolio to include innovations and the integration of future-oriented technologies. Siemens Digital Industries, with its headquarters in Nuremberg, has a workforce of around 72,000 people worldwide.

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