Testing electric aircraft on a system level at high speed using a copper bird

Electrically powered aircraft bring a new level of complexity to electrical system technology. While the focus today is often on components such as electric motors, batteries, or fuel cells, it is often overlooked that the electrical system level represents a new focal point. This applies, for example, to power distribution and switching logic to ensure redundancy, as well as cabling. The high energy cable routing results in complex networks with self-resonance and other effects. All of this must be evaluated with a large number of test cases to ensure the necessary safety. However, previous setups only allow such investigations to a limited extent and have a test speed that is far too low to meet the new requirements. A “Copper Bird” addresses this aspect and enables realistic tests at the electrical system level at extremely high test speeds.

Horst Hammerer, Director Electric System Testing. AVL