MUNICH - Lilium, manufacturer of the seven-seat, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) Lilium Jet, is gearing up for series production. The German manufacturer on Tuesday said it completed initial testing of its flagship aircraft’s propulsion unit, comprising a pair of electric engines and mounting system. For the first time, the engines were taken up to full throttle on a test bench at the company’s headquarters in Munich, Jack Daleo writes for Flying. Continue reading original article.
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
1 July 2024 - The successful first test of the propulsion unit follows comprehensive testing of the engine, developed and built in collaboration with Lilium’s team of suppliers, including Denso and Honeywell for the e-motor, Aeronamic for the compressor fan, and SKF for the electric motor bearings.
Stephen Vellacott, Lilium’s Chief Technology Officer, said: “Completion of the first engine test is a significant achievement for Lilium, demonstrating once again Lilium’s credentials as a world leader in the development of electric jet propulsion technology. Over the past years, we have invested heavily in the technology and secured extensive IP rights. We now move a step closer to first manned flight and beyond that to the era of commercial electric flight.”
Daniel Wiegand, Lilium Co-Founder and Chief Engineer for Innovation & Future Programs, remarked: “For my fellow co-founders and myself, the first test run of the Lilium Jet propulsion unit marks another high point in our journey. It was our shared belief in the radical potential of electric jet technology that brought us together in 2015 and continues to drive Lilium on the way to transforming regional aviation. This latest milestone brings us closer to first manned flight and our goal of commercial entry into service.”
Related: Lilium selects Honeywell to develop propulsion unit position sensors for its flagship eVTOL
Related: Lilium starts production of its high-performance battery packs for its upcoming eVTOL
Related: Lilium receives EASA design organization approval for electric air taxi
Jamie Whitney, Senior Editor
Military + Aerospace Electronics
