All things

propulsion.

Elysium Aerospace is a provider of motors, components and integrated systems for both commercial and private aircrafts, manufacturers, urban air mobility and military drones.

ABOUT

Powertrains designed

to create total system optimization.

Elysium has been working on hybrid electric motors and internal combustion range extenders (REx) here in the United States since 2020. We design, build and flight test motor and propeller components to deliver less noise, increased efficiency, greater power-to-weight and maintenance free systems for both commercial and private aircrafts, manufacturers,urban air mobility and drone manufacturers. Elysium Aerospace is now part of the conversation in Advanced Air Mobility Working Groups.

WHAT WE DO

Advanced systems

for the end user.

Elysium Aerospace starts with the customer experience and works backward to the technology. In other words, we focus on the user rather than the technology. Every component is designed to meet the specific goals of the user’s propulsion system. We make it simple, very simple. Simplicity is now a Elysium Aerospace maxim. Not only is it about ease of use, it’s about form, function and efficiency. We strive to design complex products that feel like they’ve always worked this way. We are a small team of highly experienced engineers, designers, aircraft mechanics, and fabricators. Our engineers have worked on the design and construction of manned and unmanned aircraft components. Our mechanics have a wide variety of experience working on both fixed and rotary wing aircraft. Our fabrication technicians are experienced with many composite and metal processes.

Design

Using the latest in 3D design software, our engineers are able to quickly progress from a simple sketch to detailed 3D assemblies and drawings. We utilize CATIA V5 and SolidWorks to produce conceptual layouts, engineering drawings and numerical control definition. In most cases, we can import our customers existing design definition into our software and iterate the design in order to generate a finished product.

Engineering

Elysium Aerospace can provide engineering support across all portions of the design process. From simple hand calculations for initial layout to detailed Finite Element Analysis for sizing a wing spar, we possess the engineering skills necessary to efficiently and safely engineer structures of all types.

Analysis

Elysium Aerospace can perform a wide variety of analysis services ranging from simple hand calculations to detailed Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of an entire aircraft structure. We use industry standard simulation software such as Hypermesh, FEMAP and NASTRAN for structural analysis. The design and analysis software utilized by Elysium Aerospace allows us to quickly iterate between 3D design and structural sizing which provides an efficient path to customer requirements.

Manufactering

Elysium Aerospace has separate facilities that are dedicated to composite and metallic fabrication and assembly. Our composite manufacturing facility is climate controlled and has areas dedicated to ply kitting, layup, curing and assembly. Our metal fabrication facility is equally equipped to fabricate aircraft grade parts and assemblies.

Testing

Most structures require proof testing to validate the design and analysis portion of a project. Our engineering staff can design test fixtures that will simulate real world operation prior to flight. Structural proof testing prior to use is a valuable exercise for validating the design but also provides an additional layer of safety prior to use. Our test fixtures and instrumentation allow us to measure force, stress, strain or deflection.

Flight Testing

Elysium Aerospace has used the Quickie Q-200, Van's RV-4, Glasair III, BD-5 and Berkut fixed wing aircraft in its flight test programs. In 2022, XP, Inc. will manage Elysium Aerospace’s flight test programs. A typical test program involves modifying the aircraft to customer requirements, obtaining appropriate approvals, performing the flight tests and returning the aircraft to original condition. Because we use our own aircraft, we can outperform our competitors in schedule and cost.

Prototyping

Elysium Aerospace’s experience and capabilities make us uniquely suited to progress from a rough sketch to a functioning prototype in extremely short periods of time. By leveraging our composite and metal fabrication facilities, mockups and functioning prototypes can be constructed for a variety of purposes. Whether you come to us with a hand-drawn sketch or a fully dimensioned model, we can prototype it.

Reverse Engineering

Elysium Aerospace reverse engineers parts or products that already exist but are lacking complete engineering definition. Whether the part is a small fairing or a complete aircraft, we can reverse engineer it. Depending on the level of accuracy required, tools that range from scales and micrometers to a laser interferometer can be used to extract geometry. Extracted geometry is imported into CATIA and resurfaced. 3D CAD models of the reverse engineered part can then be used to modify the existing design.

PRODUCTS

Benefits of Our Propulsion System and Components

Propulsion System

Elysium optimizes among a wide range of available propulsion systems, which allows the best exploitation of the airframe characteristics as well as generating proper thrust in order to comply with all the assumed requirements. The goal is to increase performance in fuel efficiency, emissions, noise, landing distance and maneuverability. Our drone groundwork is based on the premise that only electric motor based propulsion system is not suitable; the microturbine engine is optimal for hybrid-electric propulsion system; and, the parallel-hybrid propulsion system is preferable to the series-hybrid.

Acoustics

Drone noise mainly is created with three sources: the propulsion system converting the energy of the fuel into the thrust; the flow of the air around the fuselage; and, the vibration of the structure with the forces, including the propeller(s). Electrical powered drones operate more efficiently, and create less vibration and noise compared to a drone which use combustion gas type propulsion systems especially at high altitude operations. Significantly, Elysium Aerospace’s patented propeller design is the solution to propeller noise. Our propeller design is race proven on the #62 Phantom biplane at the Reno Air Races. The human ear cannot discern propeller sound on the Phantom. Listen for yourself as the Phantom laps the race field at the 2018 Gold Championship Biplane win in the Vimeo video below.

Autonomy

Fiber optics to handle high-bandwidth applications, flight messengers to monitor maintenance needs, and aviation analytics are our evolving technologies. Our focus has shifted from health and usage monitoring (HUMS) through telemetry to where we use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to accurately monitor the health of any engine on-board in real time and autonomously address future faults long before any other form of health monitoring. AI is actually a multi-layered concept, ranging from machine learning, to adaptive reasoning, cognitive computing, and to full artificial intelligence. The first has been in use for several years, the second more recently, the third is still under development, and the final step has some way to go.

Connectivity

Connectivity has traditionally been thought of as direct, point-to-point communication between a ground station/operator and the vehicle itself. We use connectivity in the design considerations of our patented design which allows the user to replace the propulsion system in under thirty minutes. Elysium uses its engine mount/isolator design and our partner’s quick disconnect fittings for all fluid and electrical connections to achieve the design goal.

Efficiency

The functional limitations of batteries require the integration of more efficient airframes, the more efficient Elysium propeller and more efficient and lighter internal combustion engines. A hybrid-electric drivetrain can lead to substantial improvements in fuel efficiency of a given aircraft configuration, though these gains depend strongly on the coupled variations in the degree of drivetrain electrification and the required mission range. Both of these factors influence the weight allocation of battery and fuel systems, as well as the weight scaling imposed by internal combustion engine and electrical motor components. In general, to obtain the greatest fuel efficiency we use a hybrid architecture that has as much electrification in the drivetrain as is permissible within a given range requirement.

Standalone

Elysium propulsion system is modular and agnostic to the battery chemistry, allowing the architecture to scale to the needs of the user. The REx turbo charged internal combustion engine and microturbine, both in development, are able to harness a lot of horsepower in a small package. So, like all our components, the REx engines, the quick disconnect architecture, the propeller, and the software are scalable and stand alone for use in applications other than the Elysium propulsion system.