Bell Helicopter has partnered with Safran to jointly develop hybrid electric power system solutions for its vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft concept.
Bell will lead the design, development and production of VTOL aircraft, while Safran will provide technical assistance to support the development of the aircraft’s propulsion system.
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Although Bell has not revealed any specifications of its new air taxi concept, in February this year, the company, along with Uber, revealed plans to launch its first air taxis by 2025.
Bell Helicopter Innovation director Scott Drennan said: “Bell is at the forefront of on-demand mobility, ushering a new era of flight where the benefits of aviation are accessible to more people in more places.
“This announcement is another proof point of our commitment to providing transportation of people and logistics in new, innovative and more efficient ways; our work with Safran is a historical milestone for future transport solutions.”
The collaboration is expected to help the companies to deploy Bell Air Taxis and new on-demand mobility systems in the future.
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By GlobalDataIt is also set to enable Safran to utilise its previous research on the potential of hybrid solutions for future propulsion systems.
Safran R&T and innovation senior executive vice-president Stéphane Cueille said: “Thanks to the long and sustained technology-development strategy conducted within Safran, we can now offer Bell our hybrid electric power solutions for their next generation products that result in improved performance giving more value to our customers.”
Safran is a technology group that provides aircraft propulsion and equipment, serving the space and defence markets.
