First rotations of FLYING WHALES’ airship electric thruster!

A major milestone has been reached in the LCA60T integration tests, a key step before assembling the first airship. We have just tested and validated our distributed electric propulsion system, which ensures the airship’s stabilization during lifting phases, effectively turning it into a true flying crane.

👉 Phase 1 of the test campaign took place on the Turbolab test bench in Bayonne.

A complete electric thruster, equipped with a 250 kW motor, was tested on the dedicated setup, allowing the collection of data from numerous sensors (pressure, temperature, current, etc.) essential for analyzing the system’s behavior.

These tests validated several critical functions, including:
⚙️ speed regulation of the electric motor
📈 vibration analysis and the behavior of the drive shaft line (the components that transmit the motor’s rotation to the propeller)
🌡️ thermal management and the cooling circuit

✅ Result: a successful first demonstration paving the way for the next stage!

Indeed, in 2026, Phase 2 will include the final design of the propeller and its variable pitch system.

🎯 Objectives: demonstrate the mechanical endurance of the complete system.

🤝 A big thank you to Bpifrance for their support, as well as to our technical partners, Akira Technologies, Brightloop, SERMA Ingénierie, Sefee, and Evolito, for their valuable contribution to this ambitious project.