LOW ALTITUDE AVIATION

Due to their capability of high voltage, high temperature, and high frequency operation, wide bandgap power devices (SiC and GaN) play a key role in the propulsion and power systems of drones and eVTOLs, significantly improving system performance and reliability.
EFFICIENCY/RANGE IMPROVEMENT
SiC MOSFETs such as 1200V/800A modules can offer much lower switching and conduction losses compared to Silicon IGBTs.  When operating on 800V platforms, SiC inverters can achieve over 98% efficiency, raising flight endurance by 10% to 15% and supporting under 15 minutes  charging.
WEIGHT REDUCTION/HIGHER POWER DENSITY
SiC’s high temperature capability (Tj > 175°C) reduces cooling requirements. When combined with double sided cooling, overall drivetrain weight decreases by 20% to 30%. Compared to 5 kW/kg for conventional systems, they can push power density to 10 kW/kg.
IMPROVED RELIABILITY
With a thermal conductivity three times that of Silicon and strong resistance to radiation, SiC power modules ensure stable operation in harsh environment, enabling up to 100,000-hour lifetime, which is five times longer than Silicon solutions.
These modules offer greater flexibility in low altitude aircraft engineering and system design, allowing for the implementation of various schemes. This greatly amplifies the advantages of SiC power devices in high voltage, high temperature, and high frequency applications. Meanwhile, the advancement of SiC power modules such as those from BASiC and Aestech is accelerating the progress towards autonomous control of the low altitude economy supply chain and fostering broader commercial adoption.