Honeywell Debuts Hybrid Electric Turbogenerator for UAM

Honeywell Aerospace is to debut a new hybrid electric turbogenerator for Urban Air Mobility (UAM) applications at Heli-Expo in Atlanta. The hybrid powerplant is an electrified version of its 1,100-shp HTS900 gas turbine engine, used by Kopter’s SH09 light turbine helicopter and Eagle Copters’ Eagle 407HP conversion.

The company said it has made “advancements in electric and hybrid-electric propulsion systems.”

The new prototype mates the HTS900 engine with two high-power, 200-kilowatt density generators—enough “to power 40 average American homes running air conditioning at full blast,” Honeywell said. “The system burns conventional or bio-derived jet fuel and can feed motors or high-capacity batteries.”

Bryan Wood, senior director of Honeywell’s hybrid-electric and electric propulsion programs, said the prototype “redefines powered flight by providing electricity to spare in a safe, light package built for aviation.”

Working in tandem with batteries, the hybrid engine will produce 30 to 50 percent less carbon emissions than the HTS900.

“As the urban air mobility segment grows, Honeywell is providing safe, reliable propulsion solutions as well as a host of other aviation technologies that are ready to install today on next-generation vehicles,” he said.

Earlier this year, Honeywell said that it is working with Pipistrel Vertical Solutions — one of five Uber UAM partners — on an autonomous vertical takeoff and landing air vehicle.