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DALLAS—Electric propulsion provider MagniX is building on its experience of developing power systems for fixed wing aircraft by launching a range of engines for helicopters and airborne power generation.
Dubbed HeliStorm, the lightweight, high-speed electric engine family will cover the 6,000-7,000 rpm range. The first engine will provide a peak power of 330 kW, and leverages lessons learned from flight tests of a reengined Robinson Helicopters R44 with the 350-kW magni350 electric propulsion unit.
Flight tests of the aircraft, called the eR44, were conducted by Unither Therapeutics (UT)-backed Tier 1 Engineering and in 2022 marked the first-ever point-to-point flight by an electric helicopter. Although Robinson has since partnered with UT to develop a hydrogen-electric version of the R66, the California-based helicopter maker says it will support the MagniX initiative. Robinson CEO David Smith says “we look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts to deliver market-leading sustainable helicopters.”
MagniX says the HeliStorm electric engine, combined with the company’s Samson energy density batteries, will be applicable across a range of light single engine to larger hybrid-electric twin-engine rotorcraft. As well as being lightweight, the company says the built-in redundancy of the electric motor provides additional safety.
Flight tests of the eR44 included sustained hovering with one set of the two windings in the magni350 disabled, effectively demonstrating the ability to maintain height with 50% of the unit operational. The company adds that this benefit would be extended with applications using the larger magni650.
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