Will the eVTOL Sink Your Yacht? Maybe...

In the last two years, a series of articles have touted the advancements in eVTOLs (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing vehicles) in maritime aviation and how they could be used on yachts.

We spoke with Transport Canada - Transports Canada on the subject, as well as BAE Systems about the matter of Thermal Runaway (TR), to ask what’s being done from a regulatory perspective and in private industry. The short answer is... it’s getting there.

What is TR?

TR, or Thermal Runaway, is a chain reaction in lithium-ion batteries where excessive heat causes a battery cell to become unstable, leading to a rapid release of energy... aka a fire. For perspective, it takes approx. 50k to 90k liters to put out a Tesla battery fire. The water required is substantial!

This fire is self-sustaining and cannot be put out with current fire-fighting systems installed on yachts. In practical terms, this means an eVTOL battery fire will continue burning through all the decks of your yacht until the vessel sinks.

What’s Being Done?

Manufacturers are working on risk mitigation strategies, including:
>Solid-state batteries and high-stability materials.
>Fireproof casings.
>Early thermal detection systems.
>Liquid cooling systems.
>Replaceable battery designs.

Of these, a removable battery pack will likely be the best option for yacht-based eVTOLs, allowing batteries to be stored in fireproof containers. Companies like FISACON GmbH in Germany are already pioneering this market segment.

Another option?

Flag states and class societies will need to step up and address the fire-fighting capability of yacht-based maritime aviation systems to ensure the safety of these vehicles onboard.

But Wait, There’s More...

While we (the yacht aviation folks) would probably welcome the new tech on yachts, there’s still a laundry list of issues to iron out. For example:
How do you ensure the "Fly Home" button can find a moving vessel?
Can the yacht supply enough electricity to charge the eVTOL?
And, of course, those pesky regulatory approvals are still pending.

Final Thoughts:

The idea of eVTOLs on yachts as and addition to maritime aviation capability is exciting, but unless these issues are resolved, the phrase "sink your yacht" might stop being a cheeky joke and start being a sobering reality.