R-R’s electric aircraft ‘smashes’ world record
ROLLS-ROYCE’S battery powered plane has “smashed” the fastest all-electric flight world record, the aerospace giant has announced.
The Spirit of Innovation aircraft took off from the Ministry of Defence’s Boscombe Down site in Wiltshire and reached a top speed of 345.4mph over three kilometres, breaking the record by 132mph.
Rolls-Royce has submitted the data to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) – the World Air Sports Federation which controls and certifies world aeronautical and astronautical records - for approval.
In further runs at the experimental aircraft testing site, the plane reached 330mph over 15 kilometres – 182mph faster than the previous record – and broke the fastest time to climb to 3,000 metres by 60 seconds with a time of 202 seconds,
Rolls-Royce said. During the flight runs, the aircraft clocked up a top speed of 387.4mph.
The plane was flown over three kilometres by the project’s chief test pilot Phill O’Dell, who was in the Royal Air Force for 17 years. Steve Jones flew the aircraft for the 15km and the time to climb to 3,000 metres record runs that have been submitted.
Mr O’Dell said: “Flying the ‘Spirit of Innovation’ at these incredible speeds and believing we have broken the world-record for all-electric flight is a momentous occasion. This is the highlight of my career and is an incredible achievement for the whole team. The opportunity to be at the forefront of another pioneering chapter of Rolls-Royce’s story as we look to deliver the future of aviation is what dreams are made of.”
The plane was powered by a 400kW (500 hp) electric powertrain with the most power-dense battery pack ever assembled for an aircraft, Rolls-Royce said.
The technology for the plane was developed at Gloucestershire Airport by the ACCEL - or Accelerating the Electrification of Flight - programme, before moving to Wiltshire for the flight testing phase.
Partners include Oxford-based electric motor and controller manufacturer YASA and aviation start-up Electroflight in Gloucestershire.
The ACCEL programme was also supported by Jaguar Land Rover, which loaned all-electric zero emission Jaguar I-PACE cars as towing and support vehicles, and watchmaker Bremont, which was the official timing partner.
Warren East, chief executive of Rolls-Royce, said: “Staking the claim for the all-electric world-speed record is a fantastic achievement for the ACCEL team and Rolls-Royce.
“I would like to thank our partners and especially Electroflight for their collaboration in achieving this pioneering breakthrough.”
Mr East said the advanced battery and propulsion technology developed for the programme had “exciting applications” for the Advanced Air Mobility market.
He added: “Following the world’s focus on the need for action at COP26, this is another milestone that will help make ‘jet zero’ a reality and supports our ambitions to deliver the technology breakthroughs society needs to decarbonise transport across air, land and sea.”
Half of the project’s funding was provided by the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), in partnership with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and Innovate UK.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng added: “Rolls-Royce’s revolutionary Spirit of Innovation aircraft is yet more proof of the UK’s enviable credentials when it comes to innovation. This record will show the potential of electric flight and help to unlock the technologies that could make it part of everyday life.”
Rolls-Royce has said it will use the tech from the ACCEL project and “feed it into” other products as part of a wider drive towards sustainable aviation. One area the aerospace giant is focused on is the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle - or ‘flying taxi’ - market.