Jaunt Air Mobility awarded 'extreme fast charging' (XFC) aviation contract from USAF

DALLAS - Jaunt Air Mobility announced the Air Force Research Laboratory awarded the company a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract to develop Extreme Fast Charging (XFC) solutions for the development of electric aircraft for large scale production and fleet management.

“The advent of electric aviation creates a need for the development of extreme fast charging solutions to enable the next generation of electric aviation,” states Martin Peryea, CEO of Jaunt Air Mobility. “As an OEM in the design and development of electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, we are pleased to be working with BAE Systems and Binghamton University on this effort. No standardized aerospace charger solutions are widely available.”

The contract is to develop a commercial XFC solution that integrates XFC power electronics, battery cooling, and smart communications with the vehicle and battery system to support both on-vehicle charging and depot-level charging needs. The solution leverages Binghamton University’s XFC research in high-power, high-voltage charging solutions with advancements to support the broad range of platform voltage, security, and safety requirements for aviation.

As the platform provider, Jaunt Air Mobility provides the platform and fleet requirements while leveraging BAE Systems’ experience in integrating and fielding over 14000 high-power, high-voltage battery systems and power electronics solutions to commercialize the XFC solution.

Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are highly competitive programs that encourage domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) with the potential for commercialization. Through a competitive awards-based program, STTR enables small businesses to explore their technological potential and provide the incentive to profit from its commercialization. Central to the STTR program is the partnership between small businesses and non-profit research institutions. STTR is to bridge the gap between basic science and the commercialization of resulting innovations.