Aerospace and defense the industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, driven by the need to lower operating costs, broader consumer trends and electrification, and the growing importance of technologies such as hydrogen and electric aircraft and advanced materials. In the past three years alone, more than 174,000 patents have been applied for and issued in the aerospace and defense industry, according to a GlobalData report on Environmental Sustainability in Aerospace, Defense and Security: Hybrid Aircraft Engines.
However, not all innovations are the same and do not have a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical life cycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption before finally stabilizing and reaching maturity.
Determining where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those in the nascent and accelerating stages, is critical to understanding their current level of adoption and likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
180+ innovations will shape Art aerospace and western industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which constructs an S-curve for the aerospace and defense industry using innovation intensity models based on more than 262,000 patents, there are more than 180 areas of innovation that will define the future of the industry.
Within Art which arise innovation stage, hydrogen fuel cells, counter-rotating propellers, and fuel cells for aircraft are early-stage breakthrough technologies to watch closely. Electric vehicle charging stations, folding airplane wings and electric aircraft charging interfaces are some of the speeding up innovative areas where adoption is steadily growing. Among maturing areas of innovation are airframe modeling and mechanical aircraft landing gear, which are now well established in industry.
Innovation S-curve for environmental sustainability in aerospace and western industry
Hybrid aircraft engines is a key innovation area in environmental sustainability
A hybrid propulsion system combines a conventional aviation internal combustion engine and an electric motor. Electrical energy stored in on-board batteries is used to supplement the thrust produced by conventional engines to improve fuel efficiency, range and reduce emissions.
GlobalData’s analysis also identifies companies at the forefront of each area of innovation and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting in different application areas and regions. According to GlobalData, more than 80 companies are developing and deploying hybrid aircraft engines, including technology providers, established aerospace and defense companies, and promising startups.
Key Players in Hybrid Propulsion Aircraft Engines – A Breakthrough Innovation in the Aerospace and Defense Industry
“Application Diversity” measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly categorizes companies into “niche” or “diversified” innovators.
“Geographic coverage” refers to the number of different countries in which each applicable patent is registered and reflects the breadth of intended geographic application, ranging from “global” to “local.”
Patent volumes related to hybrid propulsion aircraft engines
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Saffron is one of the leading patent applicants for hybrid aircraft engines. The company said it intends to become a leader in the decarbonisation of the aviation sector and aims to reduce emissions per passenger kilometer by 42.5% by 2035 compared to 2018 levels. The company has developed the ENGINeUS aircraft electric engine, which is a scalable modular engine suitable for hybrid propulsion systems. Some other key patent documents include Rolls-Royce, airbus, Raytheon Technologies, and Boeing. The intensity of the involvement of major aircraft equipment manufacturers and engine manufacturers in the technology demonstrates its potential in a future aviation market shaped by environmental concerns.
In terms of application diversity, Airplane Karem holds the most common patents for hybrid aircraft engines, while Boeing, Wisk Aeroand Textron walked behind. VoltAero took the leading position in terms of geographic coverage, behind Boeing, Leonardoand Jetoptera.
Aviation engines with hybrid powerplants are likely to gain widespread adoption as the aviation industry as a whole, driven by consumer and regulatory pressures, strives for a low-emission future. While all-electric and hydrogen propulsion remain long-term goals, it is likely that hybrid propulsion will become an important technology in the medium term as these new propulsion methods are developed and implemented.
To better understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the aerospace and defense industry, check out GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Protection.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Get cutting-edge news, data and analytics delivered to your inbox
https://www.airforce-technology.com/data-insights/innovators-es-hybrid-propulsion-aircraft-engines-aerospace-defence/ Who is the leading innovator in the field of hybrid aircraft engines for the aerospace and defense industry?
