Skyfly opens electric propulsion technology to aircraft OEMs

UK-based startup Skyfly Technologies is to make its electric propulsion technology available to other aircraft developers with the aim of supporting a secondary market in the field of hybrid aviation and accelerating the path to electric flight.

The company, a leader in electric and hybrid propulsion, has also unveiled a new hybrid propulsion system aimed at unmanned aircraft platforms using distributed electric propulsion.

Skyfly made the dual announcement at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in the United States, where it is hoping to generate new business for the technology. 

Opening its electric propulsion technology to other aircraft original equipment manufacturers would give other organisations in the field “flexibility in how they integrate it across a range of aircraft configurations”, Skyfly said. 

What is the Skyfly electric propulsion system being made available to other OEMs?

Key to the electric propulsion system is its integrated motor inverter, described as a compact, high-efficiency motor and inverter unit, which has been developed in partnership with German engineering firm SciMo. 

The system is designed to support a range of aircraft configurations, and can be used in place of a Rotax 100hp engine. 

The motor is paired with a bespoke power distribution unit and a high energy density 800v class battery system.

In addition, there is a power distribution unit and battery module, which has been developed in-house.

What is the hybrid propulsion system and how can it be used? 

Skyfly’s hybrid propulsion system has been purpose-built for unmanned aircraft that use distributed electric propulsion. 

The system has been designed around a light, high-power turbine generator, which extends the range by up to 400 miles.

It also has the ability to charge in flight and recharge on the ground when off-grid, and its compatibility with JP8 fuel means that the system can be deployed beyond civil UAS applications into military use.

‘OEMs can bring an electrified aircraft to market faster’

“We’ve been engineering a propulsion system built specifically for the demands and safety requirements of light sport aircraft,” said Michael Thompson, CEO, Skyfly Technologies. 

“Opening that technology to the wider OEM community means other manufacturers no longer have to build this capability from scratch. Our architecture works across a range of aircraft configurations, so OEMs can bring an electrified aircraft to market faster, with propulsion technology that’s already engineered around the rules we helped write. “

Both announcements came as Skyfly also unveiled its production-spec aircraft at Oshkosh.

The aircraft is powered by the same electric propulsion system now being made available to other OEMs.