Schubeler launches ducted fan for eVTOLs

Schubeler Founder and CTO Daniel Schubeler has just revealed the company’s biggest and boldest product launch in more than 25 years – the eP05-21 electric ducted fan (EDF) designed specifically to power both manned and unmanned electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

With an initial focus on electric CFRP axial fans for the sports and hobby sector starting in 1997, Schubeler built its reputation meeting the needs of demanding customers with a passion for high-end aeromodelling.

“eP05-21 is the first in a new line of Aerospace-specific products that will be referred to as Schubeler Aero. It’s tested and proven technology; we’ve completed intense wind tunnel testing in July as well as successful integration in actual eVTOL aircraft.” The key product specifications for the eP05-21 include:

Diameter: 524mm
DC Power Input:          21kW
Static Thrust:              680N
Flight Speed Range:   0-45m/s

With a sub-60V architecture, the Schubeler EDF is ready to be tested in connection with eVTOL aircraft development projects, according to Schubeler. Full technical specifications are listed on Schubeler’s website here.

A globally recognized expert in electric propulsion systems, Schubeler offers off-the-shelf electric ducted fans and custom made propulsion solutions to a wide variety of customers in need of aerospace and turbomachinery components.

Vivien Heriard-Dubreuil, CEO mdGroup (parent company of Schubeler) says, “What Daniel and his team have achieved here is remarkable. Building on 25 years of electric propulsion and turbomachinery experience, the company is now making a big entry into aerospace and specifically, the Advanced Air Mobility segment.”

Two years ago, Schubeler recognized a need in the aerial mobility industry for a line of electric propulsion systems specially designed to fulfill aviation’s demanding requirements, and set out to design its first aero electric fan – the eP05-21- to be certifiable under SC E-19 and DO-160G. These developments are categorized under the company’s Schubeler Aero arm which is committed to designing products that meet the continuously evolving aerospace standards.

Meanwhile, Schubeler has already been working with eVTOL developers including Lilium, whose 40% scale aircraft is equipped with 30 of Schubeler’s fans. Lilium has begun wind tunnel testing of the large-scale powered model of its Lilium Jet at the German-Dutch Wind Tunnels (DNW) facility in Markenesse, Netherlands to validate performance predictions for the full-scale conforming prototype now under construction.

Related: Lilium’s Upsized $192M Financing and Class A Shares Offering

Why it’s important: Advanced air mobility aircraft are complex systems that will rely on unique solutions to maximize power while minimizing weight and noise in order to achieve a feasible and commercially viable product. Schubeler Aero is poised to fulfill this niche as a provider of versatile propulsion systems suitable for a variety of aircraft configurations, and has decades of experience on which its future customers can rely.