Electrified aircraft design: A summary of best practices and design methods for practitioners and engineering students
Researchers in the Laboratory for Aviation and the Environment address the need for more literature focused on electric aircraft propulsion systems by consolidating a range of low-fidelity design methods for electrified aircraft design. The team illustrates their methods using a hybrid-electric commuter aircraft as a design example.
Author: Reynard de Vries, Andrew K. Jeyaraj, Francesco Salucci, Arthur Brown, Matthew A. Clarke, Maurice Hoogreef, Bahareh Zaghari, Susan Liscouët-Hanke and Robert D. Love
Citation: AIAA 2026-4690, Session: Electric Aircraft Flight Testing Results and Design Best Practices
Abstract:
Aircraft conceptual design traditionally relies on well-established handbooks and empirical methods developed for conventional fuel-based propulsion systems. However, the growing emphasis on sustainable aviation and the rapid development of hybrid-electric and fully-electric aircraft have introduced new challenges to this early stage of design. Existing literature and educational resources often lack accessible, structured guidance for beginners seeking to apply appropriate methods to electrified aircraft design. This paper presents a practical guide for the conceptual design and sizing of electrified aircraft, aimed at students and new practitioners. The work consolidates a range of low-fidelity methods from established handbooks and academic research, and includes references to higher-fidelity methods and industrial best practices. The paper includes an example of the design process of a hybrid-electric commuter aircraft, illustrating how to estimate parameters such as maximum take-off mass, wing area and installed power based on top-level aircraft requirements.
