Designed under the DO-178C and DO-254 standards, the MC110 and MC24 are designed for eVTOL and electric aircraft, with an admissible input voltage of 60 – 550VDC, being able to reach high powers with a fast response.
One of the main advantages of using electric aircrafts, commonly named eVTOL, over traditional transport is their versatility. They can be used in urban environments in complete safety, to quickly transport people from one place to another, avoiding traffic jams and reducing pollution.
It’s important to know each part of the system in detail and maximize overall efficiency maintaining the high reliability that is needed.
The high efficiency of Embention's motor controllers
The flight time of an eVTOL is directly affected by its energy consumption, therefore energy efficiency is a parameter that must be taken into account from early stages in the design. With the new motor drives (commonly known as ESC) developed by Embention, high efficiencies can be achieved when controlling the motors, thanks to the use of the FOC control and the specific electronics for its management.
Designed under the DO-178C and DO-254 standards, the MC110 and MC24 drives work in a temperature range from -40ºC to 70ºC, with an admissible input voltage of 60 – 550VDC, being able to reach high powers with a fast response.
The main communication with the driver for speed or torque control is CAN bus. It has 2 isolated CAN interfaces for those applications where redundancy is a necessity. Other inputs such as PWM or serial are also available for other configurations. Both ESCs can work in sensorless mode, therefore no external encoder is needed to measure the position of the rotor. It is possible to add some type of encoder (Hall Effect, SIN / COS, Incremental) for redundant sensing through peripheral inputs; if one of the external measurements fails, the control unit goes into autonomous mode, without sensors.
The MC110 and MC24 units offer the possibility of being configured before being used in the final aircraft. It is possible to configure the limits, failure modes and operating modes (with or without regenerative braking), as well as different acceleration curves. Another key characteristic is the capacity to know in real time the data necessary for the maneuverability of the aircraft. It is also possible to measure instantaneous current consumption, power, rotor speed and a great variety of data.
All this data is stored in an integrated non-volatile memory unit, which records them during the operating cycle in order to be able to analyze them later and is transmitted to the autopilot for advanced control or early failure detection.
Embention presents at European Rotors 2022 its range of electric drives equipped with the highest technology for use in critical applications. Developed in compliance with DO178C and DO254, these motor controllers are the perfect choice for electric manned vehicles and systems requiring to go through a certification program.
About Embention
With more than 15 years of experience and a highly qualified staff of more than 60 people, Embention is positioned as a leading company in the autonomous vehicles industry. The company develops high-performance systems for eVTOL and electric aircraft in compliance with certification standards, being its core expertise the development of autopilots and motor controllers.
