Advanced Air Mobility News

Beta Technologies Conducts 50-foot Drop Test on eVTOL Battery

Beta Technologies Conducts 50-foot Drop Test on eVTOL Battery

Beta Technologies and the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University conducted a 50-foot drop test of an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) battery.

The test, which is reported to be the first full-scale test of its kind, is a part of an ongoing research program on the crashworthiness of future eVTOL aircraft and will provide data for future battery safety testing.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) measures the resistance of eVTOL aircraft based on whether the fuel tanks can survive the drop.

The testing battery pack emerged with no major damages on both the interior or exterior as a result of this particular test.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to partner with the National Institute for Aviation Research and the Federal Aviation Administration to put our battery packs to the test, helping to refine it for the future of industry-wide safety testing,” Beta Technologies said on LinkedIn.

Battery testing for leakage, fire and explosion can help evaluate the safety requirement for helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has adopted 50-foot drop tests as entry-level safety and risk requirement for eVTOLs, with the FAA also following this path.

During the same week, NASA researchers also recently completed a crash test on an eVTOL concept vehicle at its Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

INDUSTRY REPORTS