EDA launches project to monitor aircraft battery health
Led by Italy and involving Belgium, Greece, the Netherlands and Germany, this three-year project aims to innovate aircraft power systems, with a focus on hybrid-electric aircraft and UAVs for defence.
The European Defence Agency (EDA) has launched a research project to monitor and predict the health of batteries in aircraft, which is known as Prognostic Health Management (PHM).
Led by Italy and involving Belgium, Greece, the Netherlands and Germany, this three-year project aims to innovate aircraft power systems, with a focus on hybrid-electric aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for defence, according to a media release.
The EDA project focuses on a type of rechargeable battery used in aircraft called structural Li-Ion/Po batteries.
Unlike traditional batteries, structural batteries not only store energy but also help support the structure of the aircraft, which can reduce the overall weight. This is especially important for aircraft, as every kilogram saved helps improve fuel efficiency and performance.
“By developing advanced systems to monitor the health of these batteries, the project aims to ensure they last longer and perform reliably,” the media release said. “These systems will help predict how long the batteries and the materials that make up the aircraft can be safely used, reducing the risk of failure and increasing the safety of flights, especially for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) that are used in defence operations.”
The project is known as BATTAGE, combining BATT from batteries, and AGE, referring to the battery’s lifetime.
Project objectives include sensor network and battery management system design; diagnostic and prognostic algorithm implementation; and experimental validation, with laboratory testing on structural batteries and UAV components under realistic operational conditions to evaluate durability and performance.
The project seeks to lay the foundation for research applicable to both civil aeronautics and the automotive industry, raising the possibility of a broad application of the technologies developed.
Conducted under the framework of the EDA’s CapTech Aerial Systems, BATTAGE reinforces the European Union’s commitment to advancing defence and aeronautical technologies, while promoting collaboration between member states.
The BATTAGE project brings together a consortium of leading institutions from five European countries: Italy: Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI), National Research Council (CNR); Belgium: Centre de Recherche en Aéronautique (CENAERO); Germany: German Aerospace Center (DLR); Greece: University of Patras (UPATRAS); and the Netherlands: Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR), Tulip Tech (TULIP).
