Rolls-Royce says it is set to start testing a small gas turbine which could eventually be used in hybrid-powered flying taxis. The Derby engineering business said the engine could form part of a system that would compliment electric motors in vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The aircraft, with up to 19 seats, could one day be used in urban areas and for commuting.
The Rolls-Royce turbogenerator system would complement and extend the range of its electric aircraft motors, and run on sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and later, as it becomes available, through hydrogen combustion. That would open up new, longer routes for electric-battery powered aircraft.
The characteristics of SAF – which comes from sources such as cooking oil, plant oils, municipal waste, waste gases, and agricultural residues – are almost identical to conventional jet fuel and can be safely mixed with it.
Olaf Otto, president of Rolls-Royce Electrical, said: “Rolls-Royce will be the leading provider of all-electric and hybrid-electric power and propulsion systems for advanced air mobility.
“The pass-to-test (PTT) of our brand-new small engine that will power our turbogenerator system is an important step forward.
“This product will enable our customers to extend the routes that electric flight can support and means more passengers will be able to travel further on low to net zero emissions aircraft.”
The new combustion engine uses recent developments to achieve a step change in efficiency of small gas turbines, and is well suited to recharge batteries and provide energy for electrical propulsion units – which would mean flights could switch between power sources.
The research and development is being partly funded by the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and the engine will be tested on SAF in the coming months at Rolls-Royce’s test facility near Berlin.
