Buzz
Before its inaugural flight at Honda Airport in Saitama, Japan, on July 16, 2006, the pilot of the Oxyride Dry Cell Manned Aircraft carefully inspects 160 Oxyride batteries. This aircraft made history as the first manned vehicle powered solely by 160 AA batteries.
Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images News/Getty ImagesAlthough electric cars haven't yet outpaced their fuel-powered counterparts, they continue to win over drivers worldwide with their advantages. Imagine cruising along a picturesque highway, free from the burden of high carbon emissions and expensive fuel stops. Consider how much quieter the world could be without the constant roar and rumble of polluting engines.
As these advancements unfold, we find our gaze drifting upwards. More and more, we see the vapor trails of aircraft etching paths across the sky, but where are the electric planes? While you might not see a 'flying electric' option at your local airport just yet, electric aircraft not only exist but are advancing rapidly in their technology.
Electric aircraft and electric cars face similar challenges. How can you generate the necessary power without a combustion engine? How can you avoid adding excessive weight by overloading the vehicle with batteries? And what about achieving optimal mileage without dragging long power cords behind you? Take these obstacles into the skies, where overcoming them can make the difference between flying high and falling hard.
It's certainly possible to fly without a powered engine. Birds have been doing it for millions of years, and the earliest human flight successes were non-motorized. In fact, it was Frenchmen Albert and Gaston Tissandier who achieved the first electrically powered flight in 1883, aboard an airship they designed themselves.
Since that time, numerous electric aircraft have appeared in designers' sketches, and many have successfully taken flight. In this article, we'll explore the main methods used to power electric aircraft and examine where this innovative technology is headed.
How to Fly the Electric Aircraft
Clearly, an electric aircraft requires energy to take flight—and that’s the major hurdle. How do you provide an aircraft with sufficient electricity without making it too heavy? This is where fuel holds a clear advantage: In general, an electric battery can't supply as much energy as its weight in gasoline. However, that hasn't stopped engineers from pushing the limits. There are three main types of electric aircraft:
Battery-powered: This design involves equipping the plane with the necessary onboard battery supply. Batteries played a crucial role in the first electrically powered flights of the late 19th century and continue to power many radio-controlled planes flown by enthusiasts today. These two facts are connected: using batteries in small, unmanned planes or hot-air-lifted airships is much easier. However, since batteries add considerable weight to an aircraft, the reality of piloted battery-powered planes had to wait until fuel-cell technology progressed. The first manned battery-powered flight occurred on July 16, 2006, when students at the Tokyo Institute of Technology launched a lightweight plane powered by 160 AA batteries [source: BBC News].
Solar-powered: To address the issue of battery weight, designers in the 1970s turned to solar energy. These aircraft did not solely depend on batteries but combined them with the sun’s renewable energy. However, the energy from solar radiation is still quite small compared to a gallon of jet fuel, making solar aircraft both slow and lightweight. The key benefit is that, theoretically, they could remain airborne for years—whether as unmanned, low-flying satellites or tethered like kites. For more details, see How Solar Aircraft Work.
Wireless power transmission: Another method of providing energy to an electric aircraft is through power beaming or wireless power transmission (WPT). This technology uses a ground-based laser or microwave emitter to transmit energy through the air to a receiver-equipped airplane. Microwave power transmission (MPT) was first utilized in 1964 to power a miniature helicopter for an impressive 10 hours [source: Dickinson]. In 2002, NASA researchers successfully demonstrated the use of spotlights and lasers to provide small, unmanned solar craft with the necessary energy. As research continues, scientists believe this technology could one day allow solar-powered aircraft to fly at night in certain areas. For more information, read How Wireless Power Works.
While the idea of using wind power to recharge the batteries of an electric aircraft might seem odd initially, there are legitimate theories supporting regenerative soaring. In this concept, an electric, propeller-driven aircraft would rely on updrafts and the momentum from its final descent to spin its blades and generate electricity, much like a wind turbine does.
The Near Future of Electric Aircraft
SkySpark's electric aircraft is capable of reaching speeds up to 155 miles per hour (250 kilometers per hour) on a single charge of its lithium polymer batteries, setting a new world record.
Image Courtesy SkySparkEngineers around the globe are actively working on groundbreaking innovations in electric aircraft technology. Advancements in fuel cell tech, engine configurations, and propeller design are constantly pushing the limits of what electric flight can achieve. Here are a few examples of the exciting possibilities for the future of aviation:
The Pipistrel Taurus Electro: This electric aircraft resembles an ultralight glider, as it essentially is one. However, what's unique about it is that two lithium-polymer battery packs power a top-mounted propeller, which is driven by a 30-kilowatt, 31-pound (14-kilogram) electric motor. This allows the experimental aircraft to take off independently, without relying on a tow plane.
The Yuneec E430: Yuneec International from China aims to become the first company to bring a commercially available electric airplane to market. Their E430 model seats two people, charges fully in three hours, and can fly for up to two and a half hours per charge. Priced at $89,000, it relies on 159 pounds (72 kilograms) of lithium polymer batteries. Sales were expected to begin in 2010 [source: Gizmag].
The SkySpark: In June 2009, this fully electric aircraft made headlines by breaking the world air speed record for all-electric planes, reaching 155 miles per hour (250 kilometers per hour). Essentially a modified Pioneer Alpi 300, it is powered by a 75-kilowatt electric motor and a lithium polymer battery pack. Developed by independent startup DigiSky and Turin Polytechnic University, the plane's next innovation aims to incorporate hydrogen fuel cells to power the engine.
Looking ahead, the possibilities for future projects are virtually limitless. For example, in 2009, Tesla Motors' CEO Elon Musk proposed the bold idea of developing a supersonic electric airplane. While such technology remains distant, this vision demonstrates the incredible potential of battery-powered advancements.
