Feasibility of electric and hybrid propulsion powertrains in modern unmanned aircraft and urban air mobility: Will the power grid be able to support it?
UAS are a promising solution for last-mile delivery, be it for cargo, of urban air mobility (UAM), for people. While UAM has been around for decades, in form of helicopter operations, it has its restrictions, primarily in noise pollution. We will look at several use cases regarding delivering cargo and transporting people. The implications of battery powered powertrains on the electrical grid, and whether it will be able to support the loads needed? What does the need for several hundred MWh’s worth of energy require from the grid side? A quick look into diverse optional powertrains for higher gross weight vehicles, such as hybrid propulsion or hydrogen. Aerodynamic proposals for next-gen airframes, in terms of eVTOL, sVTOL and tilt-rotor technology. What are other requirements such as required battery density for expected range? How to incorporate performance requirements into the design of the UAS or UAM proposals? What will be the travel between downtown and the airport? Will your package arrive in the next 30 minutes? Finally, a short overview of what is needed and envisaged to incorporate various other aspects, such as land-based infrastructure, autonomy, ground operations, communications or human-machine interfaces in the said systems.