Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EPFD)

NASA's Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EPFD) project is one of several NASA efforts under the Sustainable Flight National Partnership. The EPFD project team is working with GE Aerospace and magniX to conduct ground and flight tests of Electrified Aircraft Propulsion (EAP) technologies to enable up to five percent reduced fuel use for the single aisle market and over 10% reduction in fuel use for the regional large turboprop market.

Through the EPFD project, NASA seeks to introduce EAP systems to the U.S. commercial fleet by conducting at least two megawatt (MW)-class hybrid electric powertrain flight demonstrations and help transition these technologies into commercial products in the mid-2030s timeframe. The EPFD project will test these technologies for future use in smaller, regional aircraft with less than 100 passengers, as well as single-aisle commercial airliners designed for operating longer-distance flights. The EPFD campaign series to test EAP technologies will begin electrified flight testing in the mid-2020s.

GE Aerospace

GE Aerospace is developing a megawatt-class hybrid electric powertrain for ground and flight tests. Boeing's subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences are partnering with GE Aerospace to support the flight tests using a modified Saab 340B aircraft. The flight test campaigns will be based out of Aurora Flight Sciences’ facilities, including in Manassas, Virginia.

GE Aerospace utilized NASA’s Electric Aircraft Testbed in Plum Brook Station, Ohio, to test a MW-class and multi-kilovolt (kV) hybrid electric propulsion system to simulate single-aisle commercial flight in altitude conditions up to 45,000 feet.

magniX

magniX is developing a megawatt-class hybrid electric powertrain for ground and flight tests. They are partnering with AeroTEC to integrate and test its hybrid powertrain installed on a modified DeHavilland “Dash 7” aircraft. The flight test campaigns will be based out of the AeroTEC Flight Test Center in Moses Lake, Washington.

magniX will modify a four engine Dash 7 turboprop regional aircraft by replacing two of the engines with magniX-developed magni650 electric propulsion units (EPUs). An electrical energy storage system will power both magni650 EPUs. The EPUs will undergo testing in the NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed facility in Plum Brook, Ohio to simulate flight altitudes of up to 25,000 feet.

The companies will integrate the EAP systems into the flight demonstrators, and complete the overall design, modification, and flight tests of the aircraft.

The EPFD project is a part of NASA’s Integrated Aviation Systems Program (IASP) which conducts flight-oriented, system-level research and technology development to mature and transition advanced aeronautic technologies into future air vehicles and operational systems. IASP focuses on the execution of highly complex flight tests and related experiments to support all phases of NASA’s aeronautics research.

The EPFD project is collaborating with industry to address key technical barriers and risks associated with integrating electrified aircraft propulsion (EAP) systems into airliners. These demonstrations will help reduce existing gaps in EAP regulations and standards for future EAP aircraft.

NASA seeks to accelerate the introduction of EAP technologies to U.S. aviation fleets in the mid-2030s, supporting short-range and regional commercial air travel, as well as single-aisle seat class transports.

NASA seeks to introduce EAP technologies to U.S. aviation fleets in the mid-2030s, supporting short-range and regional commercial air travel, as well as single-aisle seat-class transports.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.