Dovetail Electric Aviation has unveiled the 600-kilowatt hydrogen-electric powerplant it intends to use to convert existing passenger and freight aircraft. The Australia-based start-up announced that it had started ground testing the propulsion system during an open day event held in Seville, Spain, on July 17.
According to CEO and co-founder David Doral, the tests have involved replicating the engine bay of a Beechcraft King Air aircraft in terms of internal space and nacelle geometry. The system includes a propeller, an electric motor with a governor, fuel cells, gaseous hydrogen storage units, inverters, a power distribution unit, integrated ducts, and a heat exchanger, as well as the company’s proprietary battery system.
Dovetail is working to convert a Cessna Caravan amphibious aircraft by the second quarter of 2025, using a battery-only version of the new powertrain. The King Air would be the first aircraft to use the hydrogen-electric powertrain. Other aircraft with up to 20 seats being considered for conversion include the de Havilland Twin Otter and the Pilatus PC-12.
The company has already signed letters of intent with prospective customers for its converted aircraft, including Spanish regional airline Air Nostrum, leasing group Monte, and Scandinavian Seaplanes. Air Nostrum is also an investor in Dovetail, along with Spain-based composites specialist Aciturri, and Volotea.
Dovetail said it envisages the converted aircraft being used on routes such as connections between Spanish islands in the Mediterranean Sea and the mainland. It is also proposing air services between cities such as Faro in Portugal and Jerez in Spain.
According to Doral, the next stage of testing will see Dovetail’s engineering team run the system to temporary power peaks. It will also experiment with different configurations in terms of the ratio between batteries and fuel cells.
Dovetail has based its early technology trials in Spain’s Andalusia region. This work has involved a collaboration with the regional government, and the company is now in talks aimed at selecting the location for its permanent operations center in Spain.
Work on the prototype has been partly funded by Spain’s ICEX organization through its Innova Invest program. The project has also received backing from the Victoria state government in Australia, where the first test flight for the propulsion system is expected to be conducted next year.