Bye Aerospace has completed the Sun Flyer 2 prototype aircraft’s first flight as part of a test programme that commenced last month.
The programme is being carried out at Centennial Airport south of Denver in Colorado, US. It is now moving towards the next phase of testing at increased speed, altitude, and endurance.
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During the test, the Sun Flyer 2 prototype was equipped with Electric Power Systems’ (EPS) energy storage system that includes battery module packs, battery management units and power distribution units.
The LG Chem ‘MJ1’ lithium-ion battery cells have a 260Wh/kg energy density.
EPS provided the energy storage system as part of a contract signed with Bye Aerospace in March.
Bye Aerospace will soon reveal the electric motor partner for its Sun Flyer aircraft family.
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By GlobalDataThe Sun Flyer range features the Sun Flyer 2 and Sun Flyer 4. It will be developed to cater to the flight training and general aviation markets.
Once fully developed, the aircraft family will be the first US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certified, US-sponsored, practical, all-electric airplanes to serve the industries.
Bye Aerospace founder and CEO George Bye said: “Lower operating costs are key to solving the student pilot drop-out rate, which is curtailing the successful attainment of badly needed airline pilots.
“The Sun Flyer 2’s $3 hourly operating costs are ten times lower than traditional piston-engine flight trainers, with no carbon emissions and significantly reduced noise.”
Bye Aerospace is additionally developing an advanced suite of StratoAirNet high-altitude, long-endurance solar-electric unmanned aerial vehicles.
