WEG, a global manufacturer of motors and drive technology, is teaming up with aircraft OEM Embraer to advance the aerospace industry toward the next generation of propulsion systems.
The new technology cooperation agreement seeks to accelerate knowledge in the use and integration of electric motors in aircraft propulsion, which in turn will lead to deliverable benefits such as greater energy efficiency and better environmental sustainability.
An electric-powered demonstrator already has its first flight scheduled for 2020.
The electrification process forms part of extensive efforts which aim to ensure the environmental commitments of the aerospace sector.
Cooperation between the two research teams will support the creation of innovative technologies that generate opportunities for future aerospace platforms, and potentially develop new market segments.
After testing the newly developed technologies in the laboratory, an aerospace platform will be used for the integration and testing of complex systems under real operating conditions. A small, single-engine aircraft, based on the EMB-203 Ipanema, will be used as the test bed for primary evaluation, before the first demonstrator flight next year.
