BAE Systems and Heart Aerospace will be collaborating to create a battery system for Heart Aerospace’s regional electric airplane, the ES-30. (Photo: Heart Aerospace/BAE Systems)
BAE Systems and Heart Aerospace will be collaborating to create a battery system for Heart Aerospace’s regional electric airplane, the ES-30. This partnership will allow two of the world’s leading aviation technology companies to combine resources in an attempt to make flying more efficient, greener, and more sustainable.
BAE Systems offers a variety of products to customers across the world, including in industry segments such as defense and security. With over 89,600 employees, BAE’s products have applications to air, land, sea and space operations. Meanwhile, Heart Aerospace also works on the cutting edge to further improve technology available to the aviation industry. The company’s mission to make aviation the world’s most accessible and sustainable mode of transportation has led it to the intense development of electric aircraft. The company’s latest prototype, the ES-30, aims to make electric flying in regional markets a reality.
The product of this collaboration will be a first-of-its-kind battery that will be installed on Heart’s electric conventional take-off and landing (eCTOL) aircraft, the ES-30. If successful, this regional jet will fly and operate efficiently with no carbon emissions and noise levels significantly lower than current regional aircraft in operation.
“BAE Systems’ extensive experience in developing batteries for heavy-duty ground applications, and their experience in developing safety critical control systems for aerospace, make them an ideal partner in this important next step for the ES-30 and for the aviation industry.” – Sofia Graflund, chief operating officer at Heart Aerospace (Photo: Heart Aerospace/BAE Systems)
The experience BAE Systems and Heart Aerospace have will enable them to develop technology reliable and safe enough for practical application to today’s regional jet market. Ehtisham Siddiqui, vice president and general manager of Controls and Avionics Solutions at BAE Systems believes that the company’s ”industry-leading solution builds on decades of expertise delivering technologies and systems needed to progress sustainable transportation. We are delighted to collaborate with Heart Aerospace on the innovative battery system for its electric airplane.”
Few aviation companies are as accomplished as BAE Systems, especially in the practice of electrically powering large aircraft. Over the past 25 years, the company has built and sold over 15,000 power and propulsion systems to customers across the world. Development for this particular program will occur mainly at BAE’s facility in Endicott, New York.
Development of a functional battery will be vital to the success of the ES-30 program. This aircraft will be powered by four electric motors while boasting a range of over 120 miles. Furthermore, the aircraft’s hybrid range is almost 250 miles when carrying 30 passengers, and almost 500 with 25 passengers. The ES-30 already has 230 orders and 100 options, along with letters of intent for 108 additional aircraft. As the program gains traction and the attention of potential customers across the world, ensuring the aircraft will have a reliable battery is an important step BAE Systems and Heart Aerospace hope to achieve together.