Pipistrel: A Build-Up Approach to the Testing of Novel Technology in Aviation

Marco Rizzato, Pipistrel Vertical Solutions, Vipavska cesta 2, 5270 Ajdovščina (Slovenia)

Abstract

Over the course of its 30-year history, Pipistrel’s vocation towards novelty in aviation led to an incremental development of its ability to tackle testing of technology of increasing complexity. This paper aims to illustrate a glimpse into the organisation’s learning path from its accomplished projects with technology including electric and hybrid-electric propulsion and how the lessons learned are applied to de-risk current and future challenges including unmanned flight, fly-by-wire flight controls and vertical take-off and landing vehicles. A specific case of preparation for ground and flight testing of novel technologies is presented from the EU-funded research programme MAHEPA: the flight test campaign of a 4-seat hydrogen-powered fuel-cell-battery-hybrid aircraft, which was flight tested in 2020. Finally, an outlook is provided on the technical challenges that lie ahead for future tests such as liquid hydrogen and the eVTOL cargo-transport UAV Nuuva V300 and how the preparation is benefitting from previous experience.