Aircraft Electric Power System II: Motor Drive Design and Control

Dear Colleagues,

The aviation industry is undergoing a transformative shift toward more electric, all-electric, and deeply electrified architectures, with electric machine drive and control technologies serving as core enablers of sustainable flight. Modern electric propulsion systems—characterized by high efficiency, precise controllability, and robust reliability—are emerging as critical solutions for next-generation aircraft. Despite this progress, significant challenges remain, including the high-temperature demagnetization of permanent magnets, harmonic-induced losses, low power factor operation, and the integration complexities associated with superconducting systems.

To address these challenges, advanced drive technologies are increasingly incorporating wide-bandgap semiconductor devices and multilevel converter topologies to enable high-efficiency power conversion. Fault-tolerant design strategies, along with prognostics and health management (PHM) systems, enhance operational reliability and resilience. Deep learning-augmented model predictive control further optimizes dynamic response performance. Meanwhile, motor driver co-integration and advanced thermal management techniques contribute to reduced system weight and improved heat dissipation.

This Special Issue presents the latest breakthroughs in electric drive technologies for aerospace electrification. Topics include high-power-density electric machine design, novel power electronics topologies, intelligent control algorithms, and holistic system integration methodologies. The collection aims to foster innovation in low-emission, high-reliability propulsion systems and to accelerate the aviation sector’s transition toward a net-zero carbon future.

Dr. Yuan Gao
Dr. Zhen Huang
Dr. Hengliang Zhang
Dr. Zhan Li
Prof. Dr. Pat Wheeler
Guest Editors

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