Advanced Air Mobility (AAM)

The future of local air transportation is being redefined by eVTOL aircraft and urban air mobility. Driven by increasing demand for green energy fuelled, noise free aircraft with the potential to improve accessibility and reduce urban congestion, these technology developments are reliant on composites to deliver the lightweight structures necessary to make today's prototypes tomorrow's day to day reality.

That is where TFP's nonwovens play a key role; our long-established range of materials for aero composites improve composite finish and function. Enabling AAM developers and manufacturers to meet the necessary control, safety and security requirements both now, in the prototyping stage, and beyond this to larger scale production in the future.

OUR MATERIAL PORTFOLIO

We offer an extensive range of technical nonwovens, already qualified in aero composites, that can improve the appearance, function and ease of fabrication of AAM composites and solve a range of technical challenges faced in eVTOL aircraft and drone design. 

All our materials are designed specifically for use in composites, ensuring compatibility with all common resins and manufacturing techniques as well as ease of integration & use.  Some of the most popular applications for our materials include:

SURFACE FINISH

Our OPTIVEIL nonwovens provide a high quality, resin rich surface finish to both interior and exterior composite eVTOL and drone components. Incorporated as a surfacing layer in a composite part, or as part of a surfacing film, they are used extensively to minimise the problem of print through, reducing the amount of further processing required and minimising the weight of the finished component.

We have recently launched a range of sustainable and recycled nonwovens, suitable for the fabrication of interior components, which deliver a high quality surface finish and aesthetic with the added credential of environmental sustainability.

BATTERY ENCLOSURES - EMI SHIELDING AND FIRE PROTECTION

Our conductive and fire resistant nonwovens can facilitate the use of composite in battery enclosures. Metal is traditionally used in other applications, but the adoption of composites for AAM is necessary in order to produce a structure that is as lightweight as possible to maximise fuel economy and payload.

The use of composites rather than metal does present a number of challenges. Firstly, the structure must still meet the necessary fire and thermal management requirements, whilst also providing shielding to electromagnetic interference (EMI) which could interfere with operation, compromising security and control. Our conductive nonwovens provide a tunable solution to the issue of EMI shielding, whilst the use of Tecnofire can minimise fire spread and protect the battery from fire occurring elsewhere, ultimately enabling safe passenger egress. Both materials can be incorporated directly into the composite structure to provide this required functionality. 

ADHESIVE CARRIERS 

Our lightweight nonwovens also provide an effective support or carrier for adhesive films and fragile materials used in the fabrication of the drone or aircraft. They enable the uniform wet out of adhesive, ensuring a defined and consistent film thickness, whilst ultimately improving the resilience and handling of the final product.