Airbus tests aerodynamic upgrades and hybrid propulsion technologies for future helicopters
Berlin, June 12. Airbus is exploring a range of aerodynamic and propulsion innovations that could significantly improve the efficiency and performance of its future helicopters, using its H145-based PioneerLab flying testbed to validate new technologies.
Speaking at the ILA Berlin Air Show, Johannes Plaum, Head of Research and Technology for Airbus Helicopters in Germany, said the company is evaluating an aerodynamic enhancement package designed to increase lift, reduce drag and lower fuel consumption, while also boosting payload capacity and overall performance.
The modifications include composite fairings attached to the rear fuselage and tail boom, a redesigned horizontal stabiliser with downward-facing tips and a new diamond-shaped tail boom replacing the conventional oval cross-section. According to Plaum, the revised geometry redirects airflow from the main rotor in a way that assists the anti-torque system, reducing the power demand on the Fenestron ducted tail rotor.
“We produce, for nothing, part of the anti-torque and therefore reduce the power required by the Fenestron,” Aviation Week quoted Plaum as saying.
While a similar tail boom configuration is employed on Airbus’s Racer high-speed demonstrator, this marks the first time the concept has been applied to a conventional Airbus helicopter. Initial flight evaluations have indicated lower drag during low-speed operations and improved stability in forward flight.
The company is carrying out the trials in stages at its Donauworth facility in Germany. Testing has so far focused on the modified tail boom and horizontal stabilizer, with rear fuselage changes to be assessed later before evaluating the complete aerodynamic package. Airbus noted that the existing H145 rear fuselage creates areas of low pressure that contribute to drag, whereas the redesigned structure is intended to smooth airflow toward the tail boom.
In parallel, Airbus is advancing the development of a hybrid-electric propulsion system for the PioneerLab. Under the plan, the helicopter’s two Safran Arriel engines will be replaced by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210S engine coupled with two 250-kW electric motors developed by Collins Aerospace and powered by lithium-ion batteries.
Plaum said the programme successfully completed its preliminary design review in 2025 and has now entered the detailed design phase. System bench testing will precede flight trials.
The hybrid propulsion architecture is aimed at delivering a 30 percent reduction in fuel consumption, with even greater savings possible when combined with the aerodynamic improvements.
Airbus considers both projects as technological building blocks that could shape the design of future light rotorcraft. The company pointed to the EC135 Bluecopter demonstrator, which first flew in 2015, as an example of how experimental platforms can influence production aircraft. Technologies tested on that programme have contributed to the development of the new H140 twin-engine helicopter, which is currently undergoing flight testing and is expected to enter commercial service in 2028.
