23rd September 2022
Sabe Fluid Dynamics, a tech innovative engineering start-up specialised in fluid dynamics, has been awarded a £50,000 grant by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, to conduct a research and development project combining advanced computing and artificial intelligence to enhance onboard real-time aerodynamic performance measurements of electric aircraft propellers.
The application will be initially focused on the aerospace sector, particularly within the scope of electrification applied to Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), and later extended to other sectors and applications.
The adoption of electrification for air travel is much more challenging than for ground transportation due to the amplified negative effect of the battery weight on performance. Therefore, improvements in the operational efficiency of the crafts are a vital requirement for the achievement of net-zero air transportation.
The proposed technology aligns with this theme; it will generate real-time pressure-based measurements such as thrust, drag and torque, enabling operational efficiency optimisation during flight.
This investment will benefit the general public by supporting the UK’s journey towards net zero, it will encourage the development of cutting-edge technology applied to a growing sector, it will generate business growth and associated tax revenues, and it will result in the creation of new jobs within the business.
Gerson Garsed-Brand, Managing Director at Sabe, commented:
“We are delighted to receive support from Innovate UK for this project. We expect the continuous growth of data-driven technologies within every engineering sector, and this is not different for aerodynamics.”
“At Sabe, we combine our knowledge and experience in high-performance applications with cutting-edge technologies to develop new methodologies and processes to enhance aerodynamic measurements and performance analysis.”
“We look forward to working with our partners to develop this concept further in the coming months.”