Flight, energy, and traffic management systems for electric and hybrid aircraft

Leading aircraft manufacturers have gradually turned their attention to the development of all-electric prototype airplanes, some of which have been flown recently. Such is the case of the Airbus E-fan aircraft that in 2015 has crossed the English Channel, completing the 74 kilometer flight from Lydd, England to Calais, France, in about 37 minutes. With battery performance constantly improving, its advantage over kerosene fuel becomes more and more evident, especially in terms of being CO2 emission free. However, with limited battery capacity it is essential to incorporate a Flight Management System (FMS) in future all-electric and hybrid airplanes. This proposal will study an optimal control framework for FMS and energy management of all-electric and hybrid aircraft. The research will focus on developing algorithms that will be validated in simulation and also obtaining Pareto-optimal trade-off curves.

Faculty Supervisor:

Luis Rodrigues

Student:

Weihong Yuan

Partner:

Marinvent

Discipline:

Engineering - computer / electrical

Sector:

Aerospace and defense

University:

Concordia University