Rolls-Royce says it is set to start testing a small gas turbine which could eventually be used in hybrid-powered flying taxis. The Derby engineering business said the engine could form part of a system that would compliment electric motors in vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The aircraft, with up to 19 seats, could one day be used in urban areas and for commuting.
The Rolls-Royce turbogenerator system would complement and extend the range of its electric aircraft motors, and run on sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and later, as it becomes available, through hydrogen combustion. That would open up new, longer routes for electric-battery powered aircraft.
The characteristics of SAF – which comes from sources such as cooking oil, plant oils, municipal waste, waste gases, and agricultural residues – are almost identical to conventional jet fuel and can be safely mixed with it.
