The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has contracted with Jaunt Air Mobility to develop an Extreme Fast Charging (XFC) solution for electric aircraft. Under a small business technology transfer contract announced this week, the eVTOL aircraft developer will aim to create a system that combines XFC power electronics and battery cooling with a means for operators to manage how batteries are recharged, whether while installed in the aircraft or in a storage depot.
Texas-based Jaunt is working on the project with BAE Systems and Binghamton University in New York. The partners will aim to create a commercially viable charging system that can be brought to market.
BAE’s Controls and Avionics Solutions division is developing an energy management system for Jaunt’s family of eVTOL aircraft and the group has significant experience in providing commercial recharging infrastructure for other industries. The Binghamton engineering team has conducted extensive research into high-power, high-voltage charging solutions to match the increased range of voltage, security, and safety requirements for aviation applications.
According to Jaunt CEO Martin Peryea, no standardized charging solutions are currently available in the aerospace sector. He said that having an XFC solution is a key enabler to making electric aircraft viable in commercial operations where fast turnarounds will be required between flights.
