RESEARCH PROJECTS
PROPULSION SYSTEM FOR THE DRIVE OF AN eVTOL

Project Goal:

The aim of the PEANUT project is to develop a fully electric propulsion unit specifically tailored to the requirements of modern eVTOL aircraft. The goal is to create a lightweight, efficient, and low-maintenance drive system – completely without active cooling. The concept is based on direct air cooling through an innovative propeller design, which allows for the elimination of complex cooling systems. This reduces the empty weight, increases system reliability, and simplifies aerodynamic integration.

The thermal design has been optimized through distributed drives with multiple smaller units. This architecture enables an even load distribution and targeted airflow for cooling the components.

Project Description:

In the PEANUT project, an innovative fully electric drive system has been developed and tested for a 4-seat passenger aircraft (Passenger Air Vehicle (PAV)) with a range of 100 km. Oswald optimized an air-cooled high-torque motor for torque and efficiency. The motor drives a dynamic propeller developed by the Institute for Flight Propulsion and Flow Machinery (IFAS) at TU Braunschweig to meet the aerodynamic and acoustic requirements of the propulsion system. The Institute for Aircraft Design and Lightweight Construction (IFL) at TU Braunschweig integrated the drive unit into a complete system and derived a flight concept for system optimization.