Public Funding for Carbon Threesixty Limited

Rotor blades and propellers are an established means of providing lift/propulsion for various aircraft types. As the AAM (Advanced Air Mobility) market expands, the demand for lightweight rotor blades is predicted to increase exponentially, particularly for use on a new breed of e-VTOL full electric urban & sub-regional based vertical take off and landing aircraft. HALOS (Highly Automated, Lightweight, Optimised & Scalable) Rotor Blade seeks to demonstrate a highly scalable and low cost manufacturing methodology for future rotor blades that will be capable of meeting the forecasted demand from the sector. The existing supply chain for composite propellers and rotor blades is not presently capable of meeting the requirements of AAM, predominantly due to the volume requirements which are driven both by higher numbers of aircraft (due to lower complexity and cost) and also the number of blades required per aircraft. The design requirements of AAM, such as a mix of VTOL and forward flight, multiple rotors with low disk loading, short flight duration and low noise do require a different style of blade. There is therefore a need for a new approach and manufacturing methodology to meet the requirements of this new market and breed of aircraft, meeting aerospace standards but with volume and cost requirements more akin to that seen in the automotive industry. HALOS Rotor Blade brings together an agile, high growth SME (Carbon ThreeSixty) with the facilities and expertise of the NCC to address the above requirements through an innovative design and collection of manufacturing technologies which combine high performance with low cost and volume scalability and is supported by several large aerospace manufacturers.

Magnomatics will design, build and test lightweight propulsion motors suitable for the rapidly growing urban aero mobility sector. These motors will be based upon Magnomatics' patented Pseudo Direct Drive (PDD(r)) technology. The technology has been identified by NASA as being "roughly two times greater than the specific torque expected of a direct drive electric motor for the same application". These motors will be tested to demonstrate performance. Two motors will be placed on endurance running to prove the technology (beyond this project) and an additional motor will be available for loan to customers.

GTTC-Wheel will see Carbon ThreeSixty, in partnership with the National Composites Centre and in collaboration with Leonardo Helicopters, leverage their combined expertise to design, develop, characterise and manufacture a revolutionary, ultra-low mass proof of concept CFRP wheel for rotorcraft applications. This includes developing the optimum route-to-market and further quantifying the prospective business opportunity arising from the disruptive innovation in a rapidly growing sector of the aerospace market.