Setback for research project with electric scale model

2 minutes read

During a ground test, a scaled, unmanned aircraft caught fire. Despite the disappointment, the project partners are determined to persevere. The cause of the incident has not yet been determined, but it serves as a reminder that extensive testing remains necessary.

Taxi testing DEP SFD at Deelen air base

On Thursday evening, May 11, the DEP-SFD (Distributed Electric Propulsion Scaled Flight Demonstrator) caught fire during ground tests conducted in the NLR parking lot in Amsterdam. NLR conducts these essential tests to facilitate the introduction of new technology in aviation. As far as is known , no issues were encountered with the electrically powered aircraft when the crew started performing the tests. According to senior scientist Henk Jentink, it is a bitter pill to swallow : “We are very disappointed. Currently, we are unable to determine the cause of the fire. During testing, we observed smoke emanating from the device. Given the device is equipped with batteries, we promptly followed our risk plan and contacted the emergency services. They swiftly extinguished the device and safely removed and neutralized the batteries”.

The unfortunate incident caused significant damage to the aircraft and led to schedule disruptions. “It is disheartening to witness that our endeavours thus far have not produced the desired outcome,” remarks Jentink. “While the situation is unfortunate we must utilized the valuable lessons learned to enhance our future efforts.”

Although this is a significant setback, Jentink emphasizes that this incident will not deter the project partners involved from pursuing the research. “Let us view this incident as a learning opportunity and a moment to show resilience. Together, we can overcome these challenges and propel our research to new heights. We rely on the commitment and determination of everyone involved to quickly get the project back on track”.

Taxi testing DEP SFD at Deelen air base
Taxi tests of the DEP-SFD at Deelen Air Base, end of March 2023.

Partners of the project are Airbus, NLR, ONERA, CIRA and TU Delft supported by Orange Aerospace.

This project has received funding from the Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreement No 945583—GAM-2020-LPA. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program and the Clean Sky 2 JU members other than the Union.

                    

Latest news

Defence and Security

21 May 2025

Launch of QRDF: rapid drone innovations for Defence

For defence, unmanned systems (drones) are playing an increasingly important role in carrying out their tasks. The war in Ukraine demonstrates that they are being deployed on a large scale: it is no longer just a conflict between armed forces, but also a conflict between industries and innovation. A key factor on the battlefield is […]
Space Technology

08 May 2025

Accelerated Dutch autonomy in space

The war in Ukraine is clearly contributing to tensions between the current geopolitical power blocks. The world feels less safe since Russia’s invasion, and as a NATO ally, the Netherlands is also being asked to contribute to joint measures. This applies to the Dutch space sector as well, which has drawn up a proposal for […]
NLR Marknesse - June 2018
NLR corporate

17 April 2025

Royal NLR appoints new Board

The Supervisory Board of NLR – Netherlands Aerospace Centre has appointed Tineke van der Veen, Jan Lintsen, and Martin Nagelsmit as the new collegiate board of the applied research organisation, effective June 1st, 2025[1]. They will take over the responsibilities of the current Managing Director Michel Peters, who will retire. The increasing complexity of technological […]