Nichols Martin
Collins Aerospace, a business unit of United Technologies Corp., will invest $50M to establish a high-voltage facility for design and test work on electric power systems for potential use in commercial and military aircraft platforms.
Construction of the The Grid laboratory is part of a three-year, $150M investment plan focused on electric systems, Collins Aerospace said Thursday.
The 25K-square-foot laboratory will be built in Rockford, Ill., and support multiple electric technology development programs including UTC's Project 804 flight demonstrator.
“In the not-too-distant future, hybrid-electric and fully electric aircraft will revolutionize air travel as we know it—opening up new markets like urban air mobility, while re-invigorating others like regional service to underutilized airports," said Kelly Ortberg, CEO at Collins Aerospace.
Ortberg added such technology can help reduce carbon emissions and aircraft fuel consumption.
Collins Aerospace aims to begin operations at The Grid by 2021.
