AeroVironment has developed a 40-plus kilowatt ironless core electric motor prototype as part of Lockheed Martin’s High Altitude Airship (HAA) development contract with the Department of Defense’s Missile Defense Agency.
AeroVironment recently completed its work for the HAA team.
The HAA requires a motor that generates large amounts of torque coupled with the capability to operate at very high part-load efficiency.
AeroVironment designed, fabricated, and tested a prototype motor in six months, demonstrating its ability to meet the HAA’s demanding performance requirements.
This prototype motor implements ironless core technology at a larger scale than what is currently available in the market.
Its characteristics include part-load efficiencies greater than 98 percent and the highest torque-to-weight ratio of any motor of its kind.
AeroVironment’s contributions to the HAA program also include the propulsion motor control electronics, propellers, and propeller pitch controls.
This breakthrough development in ironless core motors represents the third generation of motor technology originally used on AeroVironment’s Helios high-altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicles.
This efficient motor technology is applicable to a wide variety of products and industries, including air conditioning, electric and hybrid vehicles, electric airplanes, small wind turbines and deep space.
