C h a p t e r 4
ELECTRICAL ISOLATION:
CRITICAL TO HUMAN AND
EQUIPMENT SAFETY
UAM vehicles require a massive amount
of electrical power, especially on takeoff
when power output surges into the
200kW range. This works out to 250A of
current draw with an 800V battery. At
the same time, low-voltage components
are tasked with transferring an enormous
amount of data throughout the aircraft
without error.
Given the safety-critical nature of these
systems working seamlessly together,
plus the fact that human passengers
must never come in direct contact with
high voltages, electrical isolation is
extremely important in UAM vehicles.
System designers must also consider
that if an isolation failure does occur, it
may not affect just one other component,
but instead cause a cascading fault that
propagates through multiple safety-
critical systems which are otherwise
redundant.
Cabling isolation is well understood—
thicker insulation allows for higher
voltages—but working with components
that run on hundreds of volts in parallel
with devices that require single-digit
operating voltages can be a challenge.
Burak Yüksel
Aircraft Systems Architect, Volocopter GmbH
Electric air vehicles operating in
an urban environment is a reality
of this decade. We have the means
and we have the technology. Thanks
to working closely with safety
authorities they will become daily
used products, and they will have
more performance and functions in
time."
18
Addressing New Challenges in Urban Air Mobility
