Redesigning the Systems Engineering Process to Speed Development of E-Propulsion Aircraft

The e-propulsion aircraft industry is a hotbed of activity and investment. However, converting these exciting concepts into viable commercial solutions presents one of the most significant challenges in the history of aviation. To streamline the development process and accelerate time to market, OEMs should consider replacing traditional, silo-based approaches to systems engineering with a model-based strategy that facilitates seamless, real-time collaboration among the entire development team.

Until the unwelcome intervention of the coronavirus pandemic, the civil aviation sector was benefiting from sustained growth in demand for global air travel. At the time of writing, it is hard to predict how quickly the industry will return to normal, and indeed what normal will look like. However, even amidst unprecedented levels of uncertainty, there can be little doubt that electric propulsion will be critical in shaping the future of aviation. Indeed, given that easing gridlock is central to the urban air mobility offer, it could be argued that the pandemic has at least given us a glimpse of what a congestion-free, clean air future might look like.