All-electric aircraft unveiled
EADS has conducted the first flight of an aircraft powered by algae-based fuel and is also pioneering a zero-emission propellant.
EADS Innovation Works, in partnership with Aero Composites Saintonge and the Greencri-cri Association, has unveiled the Cri-Cri, the first-ever four-engined all-electric aerobatic aircraft. Several innovative new technologies can be found on the small aircraft, such as lightweight composite structures that reduce the weight of the airframe and compensate for the additional weight of the batteries; four brushless electric motors with counter-rotating propellers which deliver propulsion without CO2 emissions and significantly lower noise compared to thermal propulsion; and high energy-density Lithium batteries.
Its performance details are intriguing. The Cri-Cri provides 30 minutes of autonomous cruise flight at 110 km/h, 15 minutes of autonomous aerobatics at speeds reaching up to 250 km/h, and a climb rate of approximately 5.3 m/sec. EADS states that the aircraft “paves the way for a new generation of environment-friendly high-performance aircraft”.
During the ILA Air Show in Berlin recently, EADS Innovation Works also showed off another technology which is probably nearer to becoming widespread reality. It flew the first demonstration flights of an aircraft with an engine fully powered by algae-derived biofuel. One engine on the Diamond DA42 NG light aircraft used 100 per cent biofuel while the other ran on conventional jet kerosene. Results showed that fuel consumption of the biofuel is 1.5 litres per hour lower than the traditional kerosene, equivalent to fuel savings of 5-10 per cent.
We are another step closer to the very real long-term goal of running aircraft on algal biofuel.
