Aviation needs to cut its climate impact fast. In Europe, the Green Deal targets require a 55% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050. Regional air transport is essential for territorial connectivity, but today’s 19-seat aircraft were mostly designed over 40 years ago. They are noisy, fuel-hungry and increasingly expensive to operate.AURA AERO was created in 2018 to design and manufacture a new generation of low-carbon aircraft. The company develops two complementary aircraft families: INTEGRAL, a two-seat training aircraft available in thermal and full-electric versions (INTEGRAL E), and ERA (Electric Regional Aircraft), a 19-seat hybrid-electric regional aircraft aiming for entry into service in 2028. INTEGRAL E is the first step of AURA AERO’s roadmap to mature the technologies that will later equip ERA.Indeed the overall objective of this EIC project is to support the development of ERA towards its entry into service, covering both the technical aspects and the market access. The technical perimeter of the EIC project is focused on a key technological brick of ERA program, which is the electric propulsion chain, encompassing the integration of battery packs, high voltage electrical distribution system and electric engine. To mature this technological brick, AURA AERO has built a strategy that takes advantage of the technical similarities between INTEGRAL Electric and ERA, as both aircraft integrate: the same family of electrical engines (Safran ENGINeUS), a 800VDC high voltage electrical distribution network, the same kind of lithium-ion batteries. The integration, testing and qualification of a complete electric propulsion chain will be performed thanks to a prototype of INTEGRAL E that will be used as a Flight Test Vehicle. The same engineering team works for both programs, with the same major suppliers for each of the elements, to maximize the lessons learnt. Given that this Flight Test Vehicle already started its flight campaign, the ERA program, scope of this EIC project, will therefore benefit from flying experience with the electric propulsion chain and from the related certification work with the same authority (EASA). Strong market interest already exists, with 700 aircraft covered by letters of intent, confirming that ERA addresses a real operational and environmental need. By enabling low-carbon operations from secondary and regional airports, and by being offered in multiple versions (passenger, cargo, VIP and military), ERA also responds to key social, territorial and environmental challenges, improving regional connectivity while supporting the decarbonisation of air transport.
