Research and Transfer
An ultra-light aircraft that can take off and land on water and land, driven by several electric motors and a gas turbine, would be a world first. The Faculty of Automotive Engineering at the Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences in Wolfsburg is researching how this can be technically implemented.
The "Vehicle thermodynamics and alternative drives" working group, headed by Prof Dr Robin Vanhaelst, is cooperating within the framework of the project with the Lower Saxon company Flywhale Aircraft GmbH & Co. KG, which has already developed an amphibious aircraft, the so-called "Flywhale". To date, the plane has operated with an internal combustion engine. As a result of the research work at Ostfalia's Institute for Automotive Engineering, a "lightweight flying boat" it should be possible for it to have an electric drive system in the future.
The aircraft is planned to be powered by several electric motors. The main challenge, according to Prof Vanhaelst, is the limited range. Due to the battery capacity, the Flywhale – similar to electric vehicles – can only manage only short journeys. The simplest solution – an enlargement of the battery system – is not applicable for an ultra-light aircraft, due to the high additional weight involved. To solve this problem, the scientists at Ostfalia are now developing a light micro gas-turbine, suitable for the performance and mass of the plane, and which should increase the range of the Flywhale.
The cooperative research project "Development of an amphibious-aircraft concept with a multi-motor drive concept, with electric motors and µ gas-turbine" is being funded via the European Regional Development Fund to the tune of €799,000, of which about €300,000 is available to Ostfalia. The funding decision was announced in September within the framework of the Lower Saxony Aviation Day 2017 in Hildesheim, by the Minister for Economic Affairs, Olaf Lies.
It is conceivable that the gas turbine to be developed by Ostfalia may, for example, be used in the automotive industry.
Please contact Prof. Dr.-Ing. Robin Vanhaelst for more information.
