Airbus has embarked on a new development program examining the applicability of superconductors cooled to near-zero temperature. This is expected to lead to significant weight reductions, which could advance the development of electric-powered aircraft. In contrast to conventional-powered aircraft, there is still a huge problem with the development of electrical types, and the mass of batteries in particular, which is why most developers are still thinking only of smaller models.
According to Airbus, one way forward could be to build a powertrain with cryogenic temperature superconductors – materials with no electrical resistance cooled to near zero degrees, or -273 degrees Celsius, writes Flightglobal. The project, called ASCEND, is led by Ludovic Ybanez, with a technology demonstrator scheduled to be completed within three years. In this, there are no motors or batteries, only the goal of reducing the weight of the power transmission system, but the difficulty of the extreme temperature required by superconductors.
For this reason, such solutions have so far only been used in space telescopes and special medical devices orbiting the Earth, but those similar to the electrical system dreamed of by Airbus still exist under laboratory conditions. According to Ybanez, if successful, they can redraw the image of electric flying so far and pave the way for building stronger, more efficient resources into larger types. As an example, he highlighted liquid hydrogen power generation, which Airbus has been experimenting with for some time. One possibility studied is that liquefied gas at a temperature of -253 degrees Celsius is first used to cool the superconducting system and, when sufficiently warmed, is injected into a fuel cell to produce energy – if safety risks are eliminated.
Ybanez stressed, however, that it is also inconceivable that superconductors should be combined with conventional but also low-temperature cooled semiconductors to form a system made up of components with different temperatures. At the end of the project, it may also turn out that most of the system will be discarded and only partial solutions will be carried forward. The technology demonstrator, designed in the ASCEND program, will be built by Airbus UpNext’s subsidiary and can be completed by the end of 2023 at their E-Aircraft System House headquarters near Munich.
Recent article
Air taxi News & Articles
Crash landing with an air taxi
Drones News & Articles
The drone navigates like a bat
Drones News & Articles
Weightlessness with a drone
Air taxi News & Articles
Cities of the future, where air taxis and drones populate the skies
Additional aircraft News & Articles
Finnish engineers have created a small robot that can fly
Electric airplane News & Articles
The world’s largest unmanned electric cargo plane
Additional aircraft News & Articles
Japanese startup that makes flying “motorcycles” goes public
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
Rolls-Royce’s microreactor is a new dimension in propulsion
Flying Cars News & Articles
The X2 flying car can fly under certain conditions
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Jetoptera is developing an FPS-powered aircraft
Air taxi News & Articles
Development of Airbus’ air taxi could accelerate
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
NASA’s new engine in action
Drones News & Articles
India also sees potential in agricultural drones
Drones News & Articles
Airbus launches drone production
Flying Cars News & Articles
SkyDrive Japanese flying car to enter commercial service in 2026
Additional aircraft
ARC Aerosystems’ newest aircraft the Linx P9
Drones News & Articles
Expect lots of drones in the future
Propulsion-Fuel
NASA funds development of a new type of nuclear engine
Drones News & Articles
The world’s fastest flying four-rotor drone
Drones News & Articles
The drone market is a good long-term investment
Drones News & Articles
In Romania, a drone is already taking samples from hospitals to the robotic laboratory
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
ZeroAvia’s Dornier with hydrogen-electric propulsion system flies for the first time
EVTOL & VTOL
What growth can we expect in the Evtol market in the coming years ?
Drones News & Articles
Flying drone home delivery is also being tested in Budapest
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
How are air traffic control and air navigation services adapting to eVTOL ?
Flying Cars News & Articles
What safety measures would be introduced in flying cars to prevent accidents ?
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
Revolutionising crop production with aircraft
Drones News & Articles
Valkyrie drone placed in the US Air Force National Museum
Drones News & Articles
Black Swan unmanned aircraft can handle transport in Europe
Drones News & Articles
Drone-operated motorway planned in the UK
Air taxi News & Articles
What impact will the development and introduction of air taxis have on the workforce and the labour market ?
Drones News & Articles
Edible wing drone could save people in distress
Additional aircraft News & Articles
Could modernised versions of airships return ?
Additional aircraft News & Articles
Aviation on the verge of a revolution
Drones News & Articles
Chinese drone could stay in the air almost forever
Additional aircraft News & Articles
The world’s first flying motorcycle is about to fly
Drones News & Articles
Walmart’s drones now deliver in seven Member States
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
How are companies and governments working to develop and regulate electric Evtols and what challenges do they face in bringing these vehicles to market ?
News & Articles Propulsion-Fuel
What developments have been made in the field of electric motors ?
Air taxi News & Articles
Stellantis joins forces with air taxi developer Archer
More articles you may be interested in...
Additional aircraft
ARC Aerosystems’ newest aircraft the Linx P9
Drones News & Articles
Expect lots of drones in the future
Propulsion-Fuel
NASA funds development of a new type of nuclear engine
Drones News & Articles
The world’s fastest flying four-rotor drone
Air taxi News & Articles
What impact will the development and introduction of air taxis have on the workforce and the labour market ?
The introduction of air taxis, also known as electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles,.......... READ MORE
Drones News & Articles
Edible wing drone could save people in distress
The developers thought about those who are stuck in hard-to-reach places and help takes time........... READ MORE
Additional aircraft News & Articles
Could modernised versions of airships return ?
Aviation in its current form is not sustainable. The emissions associated with it are staggeringly.......... READ MORE
Additional aircraft News & Articles
Aviation on the verge of a revolution
Humanity has always had a desire to fly, starting with hot air balloons in the.......... READ MORE
Drones News & Articles
Chinese drone could stay in the air almost forever
Researchers at Northwestern University of Technology in China claim to have developed a method to.......... READ MORE
Additional aircraft News & Articles
The world’s first flying motorcycle is about to fly
The Jetpack Aviation Speeder, one of the tiniest jets ever built, could soon receive its.......... READ MORE
Drones News & Articles
Walmart’s drones now deliver in seven Member States
Walmart's drone delivery program is expanding nicely. According to the company, shoppers in seven US.......... READ MORE
EVTOL & VTOL News & Articles
How are companies and governments working to develop and regulate electric Evtols and what challenges do they face in bringing these vehicles to market ?
Electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicles, or Evtols, have garnered significant attention in recent years.......... READ MORE