To build, test, and certify the hybrid-electric aircraft, FVA needed an iron bird to test individual components, complete control strategies, and show compliance with the respective aviation authority requirements.
Before applying the Speedgoat and MathWorks workflow, FVA lacked a seamless modeling, simulation, and testing platform, therefore having to resort to a multitude of non-connected software and hardware components.
Shortly after starting with the powertrain design of the FVA30, engineers realized that using multiple isolated tools to design, test, and certify the hybrid-electric aircraft was insufficient: It wasn’t possible to rapidly try out and test new ideas and concepts.