How Amprius is Advancing Energy Density for Electric Aircraft Batteries
Amprius recently launched its 450 Wh/kg SiCore™ lithium-ionbattery, the most energy dense battery it has ever developed for electric aircraft and other mobility applications. The California-based lithium-ion battery maker has made several advancements in battery energy density with its silicon anode material system, and is now preparing to move to mass production of SiCore. The commercial launch of the 450 Wh/kg SiCore™ cell followsthe broader introduction of Amprius’ SiCore™ platform in January 2024. That announcement marked the debut of a new generation of silicon anode cells engineered for both high energy and high power in a single format. Their lithium-ion batteries have already demonstrated the ability to extend the range and flight times of drones and high-altitude platform stations (HAPS). The company is now focused on mass producing their lithium ion battery to support more aviation and defense applications. Amprius CTO Dr. Ionel Ștefan is the guest on this episodeof the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast to explain their latest battery energy density breakthrough and how they're preparing for mass production of their batteries.
--------
13:32
Engineering the EL9: Electra's Ultra Short Hybrid Electric Aircraft
Last week, Electra announced a new $115 million Series B investment that will provide funding for the pre-production and certification phase of its EL9 Ultra Short hybrid electric aircraft. Electra, a Virginia-based company, was first launched in2020, and previously completed the first flight of a demonstrator prototype hybrid electric aircraft, the Goldfinch EL-2 in 2023. Since then, the company has been developing the EL9 as an “Ultra Short” aircraft powered by blown lifttechnology that only requires 150 feet for takeoff and landing. Electra has secured more than 2,200 pre-orders valued at$10 billion for the EL9, and is currently collaborating with the U.S. Air Force on the development of the EL9 for military operations. Marc Allen, CEO of Electra, is the guest on this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology Podcast, to explain how EL9's blown lift hybrid electric propulsion system works, their latest progress with the program and when it could be ready for commercial and military operations.
--------
13:33
Defining the Use Case for Future Military Electric Vehicles
Over the last year, research and evaluation projects led bydefense agencies in the U.S., U.K. and around the world have demonstrated the potential advantages of operating hybrid and all-electric vehicles for a variety of military applications. The U.K. Ministry of Defense, for example, recently gave anupdate on its evaluation of hydrogen power units (HPU) for electric vehicle charging. The U.S. Army recently released an update on its own testing of a hybrid tactical vehicle prototype in Germany. On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Mark Findlay, CEO of U.S. and U.K.-based engineering consultancy Drive System Design (DSD) explains why establishing definitive use cases and requirements are essential to unlocking the future potential of hybrid and all-electric military vehicles.
--------
21:24
A Donut-Shaped In-Wheel Motor for Military Electric Vehicles
Finland-based startup Donut Defence is developing a donut-shaped in-wheel electric motor for air, land and sea military vehicles. In December 2024, Donut Defence was selected to participate in the DEFINE Accelerator program that connects technology companies that are developing and scaling defense, security and dual-use technologies. Michael Waksman, CEO of Donut Defence, is the guest on this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology Podcast to explain how the Donut Motor could provide the type of architecture and performance necessary to power next generation military electric vehicles. The podcast is now in its eighth season, running during the month of April with a focus on the future of military electric vehicles. This episode is sponsored by New England Wire Technologies.
--------
16:09
How Will TSN Ethernet Impact the Future of Embedded Computing?
Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) Ethernet is a real-time networking capability that is being developed by a growing number of embedded computing companies for theearliest stages of adoption by aerospace and defense manufacturers and their suppliers. According to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) TSN working group, it is a set of standards that provides deterministic connectivity within IEEE 802-aligned networks. Nigel Forrester is the Director of Product Strategy for Concurrent Technologies, a UK-based provider of high performance embedded computing solutions for aerospace, defense and many other industries.
The Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast provides independent coverage of information that impacts the business, innovation, and trends occurring across all segments of aerospace and defense, with an emphasis on technology. Across a continuing series of seasons, the A&DT Podcast provides insights into the most pertinent topics occurring in today's aerospace system engineering field.
The podcast also features interviews with experts on topics featured at SAE Media Group Defense's U.S. and Europe-based live conferences and exhibitions.
Listen to Aerospace & Defense Technology, All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
South Africa