Supernal LLC and UMBRAGROUP have announced at the Paris Air Show a continued partnership to leverage technology that will enhance flight control operations in electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles. UMBRAGROUP will supply actuators and motor control electronics needed to deploy a safe system architecture for Supernal’s future vehicles, which the company plans to launch for commercial flights in 2028.
According to a press release:
“The collaboration aims to create new actuation standards, both for rotary and linear applications, that will deliver for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) manufacturers, which are concerned about size, weight, power, reliability — and, most importantly, safety. Traditional rotary actuators use a gearbox connected to a power source that then operates an aircraft’s flight control surface. UMBRAGROUP’s new line of actuators eliminates the use of the gearbox, making its product smaller, lighter and more efficient. Based on ball screws, this assembly can last beyond 20 years in commercial aircrafts and is ideally suited for the AAM market where vehicles are often characterized by thin wings and limited component space.”
“Supernal’s approach is to drive innovation — not only at the aircraft level, but also at the system level,” said Adam Slepian, chief commercial officer, Supernal. “UMBRAGROUP’s actuation solutions will help us optimize our eVTOL vehicle design for maximum reliability in daily operations and enable Advanced Air Mobility to reach the same levels of safety as the commercial aviation industry.”
Supernal and UMBRAGROUP’s partnership marks the first time this type of technology will be integrated with electro-mechanical actuators (EMA), making them appropriate for primary and critical flight-control surfaces, say the companies.
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