Dovetail partners with Siemens to design zero-emission aircraft

Siemens Digital Industries Software announced that Dovetail Electric Aviation has selected the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio to aid in designing zero-emission, battery, and hydrogen-electric propulsion systems for commercial aircraft. The company aims to retrofit existing legacy aircraft, including the Cessna 208 and the Beechcraft King Air, with these new propulsion systems, contributing to substantial reductions in operating costs and emissions.

Dovetail, which operates in Australia and Spain, is currently the only company globally converting Cessna 208s to zero-emission battery electric. It is also pioneering the design of a hydrogen-electric retrofit for the Beechcraft King Air, an aircraft noted for its success in its category. The firm has recently secured Scandinavian Seaplanes as a customer. It counts notable entities such as Regional Express, the Victorian Government, Air Nostrum, and Volotea among its investors or financial supporters.

The Siemens NX X software for cloud-enabled computer-aided design (CAD) will be instrumental in developing these propulsion systems and engines. This software will facilitate collaborative workflows between Dovetail’s teams in Spain and Australia, enabling the company to turn digital twin design concepts into viable prototypes more rapidly.

David Doral, CEO of Dovetail Electric Aviation, said, "Whilst a lot has changed in the world of aviation, the fundamental structure of an aircraft hasn’t changed much. Therefore, it makes perfect business and sustainability sense to retrofit capable aircraft with new generation, zero-emissions drivetrains that take a significant step towards cleaner air travel." 

Doral further emphasised the importance of digital tools in the company’s operations: "We’ve realised the need to invest in software that helps us create digital twins of the propulsion systems we design, is easily accessible worldwide and increases collaboration between our design teams in Australia and Spain. Siemens software is at the heart of our ability to deliver zero-emissions air travel whilst enabling aircraft operators to reduce operating costs by up to 40%."

Besides a battery-electric propulsion concept, Dovetail is developing a hydrogen-electric version that will include a fuel cell and a hydrogen storage system. The adoption of Siemens NX X software will enhance Dovetail’s ability to edit and view complex design models, streamline product development, and manage the design process through a digital thread, a single source of truth throughout the design process.

Samantha Murray, Managing Director of Siemens Digital Industries Software for Australia and New Zealand, said, "Digital twins are vital when designing mission-critical final products such as race cars, racing yachts, ships, space satellites, and now, alternative aircraft propulsion systems. Our software has a great history of helping various companies push the boundaries and go beyond frontiers. It’s great to now be part of Dovetail’s journey as they use technology and innovation to address the biggest challenge of our time, climate change."

Dovetail joins other notable Siemens Xcelerator users such as Emirates Team New Zealand, Gilmour Space Technologies, and Space Machines Company. These collaborations underscore Siemens' commitment to driving innovation and sustainability in the aerospace industry.