Developing the nine-passenger battery-electric Microliner: two electric motors driving one propeller, wing-integrated batteries and an EASA CS-23 development pathway.
Propulsion Architecture
Two independent electric engines drive one centreline tractor propeller through a direct-drive transmission with failure-decoupling clutch; modular batteries are integrated into the wing.
Primary Certification Context
Not Yet Normalized
Strengths
The company reports aircraft-level PDR complete and two EASA pre-application contracts addressing novel propulsion and high-voltage systems. DSD is developing drive hardware for the planned full-scale Copper Bird ground-test platform.
Weaknesses / Open Questions
Full-scale propulsion integration, Critical Design Review, flight testing and formal compliance remain ahead in the reviewed evidence. Shared propeller and transmission dependencies require substantiation despite independent engines. The company’s 2030 service target is not regulator guidance.
Certification context: EASA CS-23. The existing company-card option taxonomy has no dedicated EASA CS-23 value, so this is retained explicitly here rather than labelled FAA Part 23.
Last Updated
October 5, 2026
