SCyZero: A foldable electric wing for our MDA1 eViator
We are pleased to share that our sister company MD Flugzeugbau has reached a major milestone with the research project SCyZero, which advances the development of our MDA1 eViator, with a clear focus on the wing.
The German Aerospace Center (DLR), acting as project management agency on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), has officially recommended the approval of research funding. SCyZero is funded under the German Aviation Research Programme LuFo VII-1.
The MDA1 eViator is a fully electric, climate-neutral and resource-efficient aircraft for short-haul flights in ecologically sensitive regions, cargo transport and rescue flights in remote areas. Its conceptual design was developed in the predecessor project SHOREliner (LuFo VI-3) by a similar consortium.
In SCyZero, the partners are developing a short take-off and landing (STOL) capable, foldable fibre-composite wing with an integrated battery-electric propulsion system. The folding design combines aerodynamic requirements with the limited space at small airfields. As the aircraft will take off and land frequently, including on unpaved runways, the leading edges are designed to be robust and replaceable.
The batteries are housed in the nacelles and structurally integrated into the wing. MD Flugzeugbau focuses on the quick-change system for the batteries, a key element of the 15-minute turnaround of the MDA1 eViator.
The consortium is led by MD Flugzeugbau, which is responsible for aircraft design and manufacturing. It brings together the following partners: Kasaero (R&D subcontractor; aircraft design and ground test rig), EAS Batteries (battery cells), Emectric (battery module and battery management system), Schill + Seilacher „Struktol“ (resin systems and fire protection), Broetje-Automation (automated wing manufacturing), the IFW at Leibniz University Hannover (towpreg placement technologies and AI-based process monitoring), the Institute of Aircraft Design and Lightweight Structures (IFL) at TU Braunschweig (structural wing design and simulation), the PuK at TU Clausthal (recyclable towpregs), the ILS and IPV at the University of Stuttgart (plug-and-fly energy storage, battery use concepts and recycling) and the Center for Hybrid-Electric Systems Cottbus (CHESCO) (characterisation of the electric powertrain).
We congratulate our colleagues at MD Flugzeugbau and look forward to the road ahead!
Duration: 01.09.2027 - 31.08.2028
Funded by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Aviation Research Programme (LuFo VII-1)
