Collins Aerospace held ceremonies today at its Rockford, Illinois site to formally open a $50 million advanced electric power systems lab—dubbed “The Grid”—that is designed to explore step changes toward the future of hybrid and electric flight. Announced in 2019, the 25,000-sq-ft lab will build on knowledge the company has gained as a power systems supplier over multiple platforms for decades, including the 1.5-megawatt power management and distribution system aboard the Boeing 787.
The facility will have an initial test capability of eight megawatts, enabling Collins to develop cutting-edge electric motors, controllers, generators, and distribution systems, the company said. Collins cited plans to use The Grid to test a one-megawatt motor for the RTX hybrid-electric flight demonstrator and the European Union Clean Aviation Switch program. The facility also will test a one-megawatt generator for the Air Force Research Laboratory.
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