This electric aircraft uses the towing concept and travels with zero emissions
A Californian start-up would like to develop an electric aircraft that can cover long distances thanks to the towing concept. The backgrounds.
In recent years, batteries have become an increasingly important form of energy storage. The number of electric vehicles is therefore likely to increase in the coming years. In addition, more and more companies are testing the use of battery technology. For example, Shell wants to run passenger ferries electrically to reduce emissions.
One industry that has rarely relied on batteries is the aviation industry. But since the take-off weight increases with each additional battery, a passenger jet requires an almost infinite number of energy storage devices to cover long distances. The US start-up Magpie Aviation has now developed a possible solution.
New electric aircraft uses towing concept for transport
This approach is based on towing the passenger plane. In addition to the battery-powered passenger aircraft, at least one other aircraft with significantly more power takes off. The mechanism ensures that a rope stretches between the two machines and the more powerful aircraft tows the passenger plane.
Because aircraft designed for medium-haul routes cannot really be operated with batteries today. Because passenger planes do not have enough energy for the entire flight, but can take off and land on their own. The energy reserve is also sufficient for emergency landings.
Guidance aircraft can be easily exchanged
Meanwhile, towing should continue until the lead aircraft no longer has enough energy. Then the passenger plane either lands or is towed further by a new lead aircraft. Since the effort for long-haul routes would be far too high, plans are in place to commercialize the technology for medium-haul routes.
For example, passengers can bridge the route between San Francisco and Seattle with zero emissions. That’s about 1,100 kilometers that, as of today, no electrically powered aircraft can cover alone. The first tests started with a 100 meter long cable. The final deployment (around 2030) should then take place with a one-kilometer cable.
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