UK Government funds Rolls-Royce's all-electric flight research
The project, which explores the use of a high power electrical system in a demonstrator aircraft, aims to accelerate the adoption of all-electric propulsion in aviation. Rolls-Royce is working with manufacturing company Yasa and is being supported by Electroflight for the project.
The automobile company is already exploring hybrid-electric propulsion by using a gas turbine engine as a generator to power an electric fan for regional and commercial aircrafts through the E-Fan X demonstrator programme with Airbus and Siemens.
At the Farnborough International Airshow, Rolls-Royce is also showcasing a hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle concept which could be adapted for personal transport, public transport, logistics, and military applications and will take to the skies as soon as the early 2020s.