Evolito Limited, the pioneer of world-leading axial-flux electric motors, power electronics and battery solutions for aerospace applications, has received Design Organisation Approval (DOA) from the UK Civil Aviation Authority for electric propulsion system products.
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Evolito’s D500 Axial Flux Motor: stacked for increased torque and power up to 1 megawatt. (Photo: Business Wire)
The UK Civil Aviation Authority’s approval of Evolito as a Design Organisation demonstrates that it is satisfied that Evolito has the technical expertise, facilities and capabilities to design safe and reliable products, and is able to comply with stringent requirements for certification.
Evolito is the first company in the UK to achieve this for electric propulsion systems.
This accreditation is a significant milestone towards certification of Evolito’s products, as well as supporting customer requirements to certify their electric and hybrid aircraft. Type Certification is necessary to prove an electric aircraft, its propulsion system or propeller are safe for commercial use.
Dr Chris Harris, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Evolito, said:
“Securing Civil Aviation Authority DOA approval is an important step in supporting our customers aircraft certification activities and for applying for Type Certificates for our electric propulsion systems. Holding our own Type Certificates will allow aircraft customers to integrate our component off the shelf (COTS) electric propulsion solutions saving aircraft manufacturers both time and money and enabling them to focus on the aircraft certification.”
Evolito has a dedicated and experienced team of over 200 employees, brought together from aerospace and automotive industries, who have been working together to achieve this certification milestone. The DOA process was initiated in autumn 2022, with rigorous assessments of the company’s organisation and procedures and concluded with the signed approval in October 2023.
Gareth Morris, Chief Operating Officer at Evolito, said:
“We have been working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority through these thorough and rigorous assessments, and we are delighted that they have awarded Evolito the UK’s first DOA for an electric propulsion system. While this DOA takes Evolito one step closer to Type Certification, it’s also an important step for the electric aerospace industry, further accelerating the commercialisation of electric flight.”
Evolito’s unique axial flux electric motors, which are proven in rate manufacture offer class-leading torque densities and system efficiencies, best matched to propeller speeds used in eVTOL, UAV and fixed-wing aircraft applications. The Evolito motor topology is inherently safer and more robust as compared to alternative motor types. Combined with the battery systems and high integrity motor control unit capabilities, Evolito creates propulsion solutions that at are optimised for the aircraft business case.
Tendai Mutambirwa, Interim Group Director of Safety and Airspace Regulation at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said:
“It is important we enable companies like Evolito to bring their ideas to market in a safe, secure and sustainable way.
We worked collaboratively with Evolito to make sure the high safety standards the public can expect were met. Granting this Design Organisation Approval is an essential step for the electric aerospace industry, and it emphasises our commitment to make the UK a key destination for aviation innovators.”
EDITOR’S NOTES
Evolito
Evolito is making all-electric flight a reality by offering world-leading electric axial flux motors, motor control units and battery systems for the aerospace market. Evolito’s electric propulsion systems offer the highest power, torque, and energy densities in class and are inherently more robust than alternative technologies – mission critical in eVTOL, Urban Air Mobility and fixed-wing applications. The privately-held company is based in Oxford. Evolito’s investors include B-Flexion and Oxford Science Enterprises (OSE).
Dr. Chris Harris, Evolito CEO and co-founder, brings over 25 years’ experience building and leading high-tech, high-growth businesses in the UK, Europe and US. Dr Harris is passionate about building world-class British manufacturing companies, the transition to electric vehicles and growing a diverse pipeline of engineering talent; now shaping the emerging electric aerospace industry.
Gareth Morris, Chief Operating Officer, Evolito, has over 35 years of engineering, programme and general management experience working for large tier-1 global aerospace companies. Most of his career has centred around the development and industrialisation of more-electric aircraft systems, and from 2012 to 2020, he led the creation of a specialist Centre of Excellence for electric motor drive systems and power electronics at Collins Aerospace. He has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is the national aviation authority in the UK responsible for regulating aviation safety.
UK and European aerospace companies cannot hold a Type Certificate without being granted a DOA.
A Design Organisation Approval (DOA) is the official recognition that an organisation complies with the requirements of designing aerospace products (aircraft, engine or propeller).
A Type Certificate (TC) signifies the airworthiness of a particular category of aircraft and all its component parts (including propellers, engines, control stations, etc.) It confirms that the aircraft, intended for serial production, is in compliance with the applicable airworthiness requirements established by the national aviation law.
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