Magnetics Business & Technology - March/April 2022 - 22

PRODUCT NEWS
LaunchPoint Develops New Hybrid Generators
for Electric-Powered Flight
Its HPS400 GenSet is a 40kW generator with the capacity to power
large drones and flying vehicle missions that require extended
ranges of flight. Until now, the 40kW market has been underserved,
says the company.
" We're thrilled to announce the launch of this 40kW hybrid power
system, " said Rob Reali, CEO. " Given our work the past ten years
in the space, we know this is a product that the market wants and
needs, and we're excited to see how quickly the AAM markets continue
to adopt our hybrid electric propulsion systems. "
The market is bustling. The company notes that one use of its fresh
seed funding will be to expand the company's patent portfolio, providing
growing protection for the firm's engineering breakthroughs
within an expanding field of international competitors. Another use
will be for boosting its manufacturing capability. Demand for electric
flight propulsion systems is rising rapidly and LaunchPoint expects
that trend to continue, Reali said.
The company recently received a $1 million Small Business Innovation
Research grant from the U.S. Army to develop technology for
hybrid-electric flight. The U.S. Department of Defense also recently
awarded LaunchPoint and its partner Georgia Tech two contracts
to help develop flying car technology for the U.S. Air Force's Agility
Prime program.
New hybrid-electric generators from LaunchPoint Electric Propulsion
Systems, a startup located in Goleta, California near Santa
Barbara, are opening new possibilities in the fast-growing field of
electric-powered flight. The new products follow closely on award of
development contracts from the U.S. Department of Defense and a
round of seed funding that was oversubscribed by investors. Shown
above is its latest commercialization, the DHA050, a 1.5 kW electric
motor and controller weighing just 0.45 kg, designed to military
specifications.
Since starting as a new business in June 2020, LaunchPoint EPS
has entered multiple contracts with commercial aerospace and
automotive companies and secured grants from the U.S. Department
of Defense to develop hybrid-electric flight technology and
flying cars. The company was spun out from design engineering
firm LaunchPoint Technologies in Goleta that began 30 years ago
as Magnetic Moments, a scientific research and development
enterprise.
As reported earlier in Magnetics Magazine, among its innovations
has been to develop high specific power, high efficiency electric
machines for the demanding, high-reliability applications associated
with hybrid electric UAV flight. The machines are an axial flux
design based on dual-Halbach array magnet rotors and ironless
stators.
Brian Clark, director of engineering and program management,
provides this detail about the generator technology. " LaunchPoint's
patented electric machine utilizes ironless, axial-flux, dual-Halbach
array technology, " says Clark. " The dual Halbach magnet array is
composed of precisely manufactured, ultra-high temperature grade,
Neodymium-Iron-Boron (NdFeB) permanent magnets. "
The company also makes two other hybrid-electric propulsion systems,
a 6kW hybrid-electric genset for drones and the 40kW genset
for larger drone cargo and future air taxis, along with developing
new products for the higher-power UAV and Advanced Air Mobility
(AAM) markets. Firms in these markets are working to build electric
and hybrid-electric cargo delivery as well as passenger-carrying
aircraft.
22 Magnetics Business & Technology * March/April 2022
By integrating its recently developed compact permanent-magnet
synchronous motors, Nord Drivesystems has built a high-efficiency
portfolio of geared motor systems for industrial applications. The
new DuoDrive geared motor has an efficiency of up to 92%, making
it one of the most efficient geared motors in its power class.
Additionally, it is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Energy's
National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado under
a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement to explore
advanced manufacturing techniques for its lightweight aerospace
motors. The company also reports that it has secured multiple
commercial contracts and orders with aerospace and automotive
companies.
For more info, see www.launchpointeps.com and www.launchpnt.
com.
Nord Builds Energy-Efficient Portfolio Around
Compact PM Synchronous Motor
www.MagneticsMag.com
http://www.launchpointeps.com http://www.launchpnt.com http://www.launchpnt.com http://www.MagneticsMag.com
Magnetics Business & Technology - March/April 2022

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