The importance of the battery management system (BMS) in eVTOL aircraft
The batteries we handle in daily life are quite different from the battery architecture found in electric aircraft. Hundreds or thousands of individual cells are joined to form a pack. Several of these packs are then distributed around the aircraft with redundant cabling, meaning that the aircraft should have enough power for landing if one pack fails. For the highest degree of safety, we need to monitor temperature, voltage and current not only at the pack level, but at the individual cell level.
The battery management system does this job. If a single cell steps outside the safe operating area, the BMS immediately identifies the anomaly and helps manage the situation. Integrating a sophisticated BMS may carry cost and weight penalties, but from an insurance and risk perspective, it’s an excellent investment.
Image credit: Joby Aviation
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