EcoPulse test flights offer insights into decarbonising air transport

Airbus said the collaborative project has provided unique experience in the design, certification, production, and operation of hybrid-electric aircraft.

In a statement, Jean-Baptiste Manchette, head of Propulsion of Tomorrow at Airbus, said: “This EcoPulse campaign allows us to advance certain hybrid-electric technologies, such as high-voltage batteries, and integrate them into future aircraft, helicopters, and air mobility solutions.

“With distributed electric propulsion, we achieved our goal of modelling flight physics and energy management at the aircraft level, key elements for shaping the next generation of aircraft.”

EcoPulse performed its first hybrid-electric test flight on November 29, 2023, from Tarbes–Lourdes–Pyrénées Airport.

Since its maiden flight, EcoPulse accumulated 100 flight hours and performed 50 test flights with the distributed hybrid propulsion system, the last of which took place in July 2024.

These tests enabled the demonstration of onboard electric power levels for distributed electric propulsion, with a network voltage of approximately 800V DC and a power output of 350kW.