Rolls-Royce Spirit of Innovation Electric Plane Aircraft First Flight
Rolls-Royce makes luxury vehicles, jet engines, and now, all-electric aircraft. One of them, the “Spirit of Innovation”, recently completed its first 15-minute flight after taking off from the UK Ministry of Defense’s Boscombe Down site. Powering this one-seat airplane is a 6,000 cell battery pack with a three-motor powertrain generating 400kW (500+ hp), making it the most power-dense battery pack every assembled for an aircraft. The company hopes said the aircraft will eventually achieve a top speed of over 300 mph. Read more for the video, additional pictures and information.



The ACCEL (Accelerating the Electrification of Flight) program by Rolls-Royce includes key partners YASA, who makes the lectric motor and controller manufacturer, as well as aviation start-up Electroflight. Rolls-Royce eventually plans to offer customers a complete electric propulsion system for their platform, whether that is be an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) or commuter aircraft. Technology will be developed in the ACCEL project and then be applied to products for these new markets.

Sale
DJI Mini SE, Drone Quadcopter with 3-Axis Gimbal, 2.7K Camera, GPS, 30 Mins Flight Time, Reduced Weight,...
3,811 Reviews
DJI Mini SE, Drone Quadcopter with 3-Axis Gimbal, 2.7K Camera, GPS, 30 Mins Flight Time, Reduced Weight,...
  • Light as a Smartphone - Weighing less than 0 55lbs / 249 grams, DJI Mini SE is roughly the same weight as the smartphone. In the United States and...
  • Capture on the Go - The lightweight and powerful DJI Mini SE camera drone is the ideal for creators on the move. The ultra-portable design allows you...
  • More Time in the Sky - DJI Mini SE's weight allows it to stay in the air longer than similar consumer drones on the market. Enjoy up to 30 minutes of...

Rolls-Royce Spirit of Innovation Electric Plane Aircraft First Flight
Rolls-Royce Spirit of Innovation Electric Plane Aircraft First Flight
Rolls-Royce Spirit of Innovation Electric Plane Aircraft First Flight
Rolls-Royce Spirit of Innovation Electric Plane Aircraft First Flight
Rolls-Royce Spirit of Innovation Electric Plane Aircraft First Flight

The first flight of the Spirit of Innovation demonstrates how innovative technology can provide solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges. The ATI is funding projects like ACCEL to help UK develop new capabilities and secure a lead in the technologies that will decarbonise aviation. We congratulate everyone who has worked on the ACCEL project to make the first flight a reality and look forward to the world speed record attempt which will capture the imagination of the public in the year that the UK hosts COP26,” said Gary Elliott, CEO, Aerospace Technology Institute.

[Source]

Author

A technology, gadget and video game enthusiast that loves covering the latest industry news. Favorite trade show? Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.