Preventing Ice Buildup on Electric Aircraft

Fuel economy is one of the biggest challenges facing the aviation industry. To overcome these challenges, researchers are working on next generation aviation systems. Next generation aircraft will be either hybrid power, or all-electric power, which would help with fuel consumption. But electric aircraft present challenges in other areas such as the prevention of ice formation. Ice formation on aircraft can degrade the aerodynamic performance significantly by reducing lift while increasing drag. Tech Briefs Media Group (TBMG) editor, Billy Hurley, interviewed researcher Afaq Ahmed Abbasi of Northwestern Polytechnical University's Department of Fluid Mechanics to learn more about these challenges.

TBMG: What are the traditional methods of preventing ice formation on aircraft?