Airbus Helicopters presses ahead with design of PioneerLab鈥檚 hybrid powertrain
Airbus Helicopters is aiming to complete preliminary design work on the hybridisation of its听H145-based听PioneerLab听technology demonstrator by mid-year, keeping the rotorcraft on track to take flight in 2027 with a new low-emission powertrain installed.
鲍苍诲别谤听, the airframer intends to replace the PioneerLab鈥檚 stock Safran Helicopter Engines听Arriel听2E听turboshafts, each rated at听667shp听(894kW), with a single Pratt & Whitney Canada 1,000shp-class听PW210S听engine and two Collins Aerospace听250kW听electric motors.
Source: Dominic Perry/FlightGlobal
Technologies to be tested on听H145-based听PioneerLab听include advanced sensors, automation and hybrid powertrain
Johannes听Plaum, head of R&T at Airbus Helicopters听Deutschland, speaking to journalists at the firm鈥檚 Donauworth site, says the preliminary design review milestone is targeted for mid-2025, 鈥渨hich prepares us for the next step to do the detailed design鈥.
Installation of the hybrid powertrain is likely to take around 12 months, says project manager听Dominik听Strobel, but can only begin when the current round of flight testing is complete.
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Although the helicopter鈥檚 hybridisation is a key future focus, the PioneerLab鈥檚 role is to evaluate multiple technologies, including advanced sensors and flight automation systems, plus aerodynamic changes to the configuration.
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While RTX companies P&WC and Collins have been revealed as suppliers of critical parts of the hybrid powertrain, Airbus Helicopters has still to disclose who is providing the batteries for the system, or where the cells will be situated on the aircraft.
At the听ILA听Berlin air show last year, a model of the听PioneerLab听was displayed on the stand of the DLR, the German national aerospace research centre. The model featured battery boxes low on either side of the fuselage.
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He also concedes the overall hybrid system will be heavier than the gas turbine engines it replaces but points to the PioneerLab鈥檚 purpose as a demonstrator rather than a development programme.
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Source: Dominic Perry/FlightGlobal
Optical cameras have been mounted on skids, while a pressure sensor is installed just below the fuselage
These include battery and thermal management, a new engine management system and the human-machine interface. The company must also gain understanding of how to balance and optimise the power delivery from the two different parts of the propulsion system.
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The hybrid powertrain will contribute around 90% of that figure, while the remainder will come from unspecified aerodynamic improvements, mainly focussed on the aft section of the airframe.
These will cut drag in forward flight and reduce the interaction of the rotor wash on the airframe while in the hover.听Plaum听says they will be introduced progressively from early 2026, adding, 鈥淲e will start flying them step by step鈥.
In the meantime, the airframer continues testing a suite of new sensors and flight-control updates. An 鈥渆nhanced鈥 version of its lidar-based rotor-strike alerting system is to be installed shortly, adding a fourth sensor to ensure 360掳听coverage.
Additionally, trials of an obstacle detection and automatic take-off and landing system are also underway, fusing inputs from a nose-mounted radar, forward-facing lidar and optical sensors to enable automated low-level flight.
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To achieve the required precision, an additional pressure sensor has been integrated into the skid gear to accurately detect the moment of contact with the ground, regardless of terrain or slope angle.