Propulsion E: Electrical spirit

Patented propulsion system
Climbing performance data for Antares 20E at a gross weight of 560 kg
The result of our approach is a so far unreached performance: a very good climb rate (ca. 4.2 m/s / 827 ft/min during initial climb), a sky-scraping climb altitude (more than 3,500m /11500 ft in smooth air) and an almost noiseless flight.
High efficiency is one side of the Antares’ innovative and patented propulsion concept. However to make an idea suitable for daily use you have to look for reliability, safety, economic feasibility and user confidence. In contrast to a combustion engine our propulsion method has a system related high operation reliability and runs almost vibration-free. Breakup- and fatigue limit problems are consequently avoided. What’s more, we only need a relatively small amount of components and all of them are high-quality parts which minimizes the risk of default.
And, last but not least: Maintaining the propulsion E costs outstandingly little time and effort compared to a conventional aircraft engine.
Propeller
Propulsion control system

System monitoring
Battery-system
The Antares 20E is equipped with a battery-system based on lithium-ion cells of type SAFT VL41M. Lange Aviation was the first company worldwide to use these batteries. Meanwhile a remarkable number of other users have recognized the advantages of this specific cell type, and its range of application is continously growing.Why lithium-ion cells?
Lithium is the lightest of all metals, and at the same time has the highest negative standard potential. Its low mass density and high voltage level result in a high specific energy density. Compared to other currently available lithium based cells (Li-Po / Li-Su), SAFT VL41M batteries have a great ability for high-current and a very high cyclic durability. Consequently SAFT VL41M Li-Ion cells represent the best electric energy source for an aircraft, while other merchantable battery types cannot be as capable.Battery life
Two factors are crucial for the batteries’ life expectancy:- number of charge/discharge cycles
- natural aging
<b>How many charge / discharge cycles?
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The capacity of a battery diminishes with the number of charge and discharge cycles. According to most recent findings, our batteries will endure more than 4,500 SAE cycles. One SAE cycle stands for a full recharge, and a discharge down to 20% of the capacity. A partial charge and discharge equals the correspondent part of a full cycle. After 4,500 SAE cycles, the cells will still retain at least 80% of their original capacity. For the pilot, this means that the batteries will provide approximately 10,800,000 meters of altitude before they should be replaced.<b>Natural aging </b>
Of course, in everyday life the natural chemical aging of a battery is even more relevant. When stored at an average temperature of 20°C (68°F), batteries should - according to the latest findings - be replaced after 20 years. At this point, too, they will still have a capacity of 80% compared to the original condition.Other applications
Being a user of SAFT VL41M cells, Lange Aviation is in good company. These battery cells are for example also utilized in most of the current European satellites. The military drone RQ-4B Global Hawk UAV, the F35 Joint Strike Fighter, the Airbus A350, and many other high-tech applications have adopted these batteries as well.
