NEW DELHI: Rolls-Royce has introduced its new small gas turbine that has been specifically developed to power hybrid-electric flight and is set to begin testing.

The engine is a component of a turbogenerator system being created for the market of Advanced Air Mobility. For urban air mobility and commuter aircraft applications with up to 19 passengers, this includes electrical vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

By providing an on-board power source with scalable power offerings between 500kW and 1200kW that enables an extended range of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and later, as it becomes available, through hydrogen combustion, the turbogenerator system will complement the Rolls-Royce Electrical propulsion portfolio. This will allow for the opening of new, longer routes than those currently supported by electric battery-powered aircraft.

"Rolls-Royce will be the leading provider of all-electric and hybrid-electric power and propulsion systems for Advanced Air Mobility," stated Olaf Otto, President of Electrical. A significant development is our brand-new tiny engine's Pass-To-Test (PTT), which will power our turbogenerator system. With the help of this product, our clients will be able to increase the number of routes that can be served by electric flight and more passengers will be able to fly farther on low- to net-emissions aircraft. Rolls-Royce is combining its expertise in gas turbine and electrical development for the development of the turbogenerator system.

Recent technological advancements are used in the new combustion engine to significantly increase the efficiency of small gas turbines. It is possible to use the turbogenerator in hybrid serial or parallel applications. It enables aeroplanes to switch between power sources while in flight because it is well adapted to both directly power electrical propulsion units and recharge batteries. The German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action is contributing to the research and development of this technology.

In the upcoming months, this engine will be tested on SAF and used to inaugurate Rolls-Royce's Dahlewitz testing centre. To test the new engine and validate its technical specifications, the Rolls-Royce Power Gearbox test facility has been upgraded.

For applications including all-electric and hybrid-electric vehicles, Rolls-Royce is developing comprehensive power and propulsion systems. Our systems are being designed using the most recent technology, including power electronics, control systems, and electric motors, as well as power generation and energy storage.

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