Aerospace electric and hybrid-electric propulsion
architectural and certification consulting
Independent expert support from early concept definition to certification
Propulsion battery systems, electric engines, power distribution and EWIS for electric and hybrid-electric aircraft programs: eVTOL, Powered-Lift, UAV and CS/FAR-23/25/27/29.
Concept assessment, requirements validation, supplier selection, integration review, certification strategy and CVE support.
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Services

Focused support for aerospace OEMs and system suppliers working on propulsion battery systems, electric engines, power distribution and EWIS, including the electrical side of hybrid-electric propulsion systems, from proposal and concept phase through verification, certification and CVE activities.

Concept Definition & Feasibility

Early support while the aircraft concept, operational concept, propulsion architecture, hybridization approach or supplier path is still flexible. Focus: feasibility, right-sized functionality and safety, manufacturability, testability and certification impact before a path is chosen.
  • Blank-sheet concept assessment for aircraft mission, safety and operational requirements
  • Operational concept review including ground support, charging and maintenance implications
  • Electrical-side concept support for hybrid propulsion architectures and operating modes
  • Functional breakdown across battery, BMS, electric engine, power distribution and aircraft systems
  • Battery, electric engine and HV distribution concept trade studies
  • Proof-of-concept test definition and evidence strategy
  • Early identification of cost, schedule, certification and redesign risks

System Architecture & Derisking

Independent review of electric and hybrid-electric propulsion architectures and aircraft interfaces to assess whether the concept can meet performance, safety, fault-containment, weight, integration and compliance objectives without unnecessary complexity.
  • HV electrical architecture review: voltage level, power path, redundancy and fault isolation
  • Functional allocation between battery packs, BMS, electric engine, inverter, power distribution unit, EWIS and aircraft systems
  • Aircraft interface review: electrical, thermal, mechanical, avionics, HMI and operational dependencies
  • Hybrid propulsion interface review: electrical-side constraints, power-flow dependencies, operating modes and mode transitions
  • Safety architecture review: redundancy, dissimilarity, isolation, containment and failure propagation
  • Weight, performance, integration and aircraft-side impact trade studies
  • Certifiability review of architecture decisions before PDR / CDR-level commitment

Requirements & Compliance Strategy

Definition, decomposition and validation of requirements from aircraft, mission, operational modes, safety and certification objectives down to system, subsystem and component level, with compliance demonstration in view from the start.
  • Requirements elicitation, analysis and validation: necessity, consistency, rationale and traceability
  • Aircraft-to-system decomposition for batteries, electric engines, power distribution and EWIS
  • Functional, performance, safety, operational-mode and certification requirements definition
  • Assumption management, conflict resolution and change impact analysis
  • Requirements review for hybrid propulsion behaviours, electrical-side constraints and cross-system dependencies
  • ARP4754A / ARP4761-oriented development process and traceability review
  • Review of PSSA / SSA, Design Description Documents, test plans and certification artifacts

Supplier, Proposal & Procurement Review

Independent technical review when selecting suppliers, evaluating proposals or planning make-or-buy decisions, with attention to whether concepts, effort estimates and certification assumptions are credible.
  • Proposal, bid and contract phase technical sparring and challenge
  • Conceptual design review for technical proposals
  • Development and certification effort estimation
  • Supplier assessment and selection for batteries, electric engines, BMS, power distribution, manufacturing and test services
  • Make-or-buy, production strategy and supplier management review
  • Change request impact assessment for cost, schedule, technical risk and certification path

Implementation, Integration & Verification Review

High-level design direction and review during implementation and integration. The focus is on decisions that affect interfaces, operational modes, manufacturability, performance, safety, verification and certification, not low-level component development.
  • Intermediate and final implementation reviews, design principles and design document review
  • Manufacturing, prototyping and series production readiness review
  • Assembly process, PFMEA, incoming / inline / end-of-line inspection and acceptance test review
  • Aircraft integration concept review and delta qualification assessment
  • Review of hybrid propulsion mode logic, electrical-side limitations and cross-system integration effects
  • Verification strategy for proof-of-concept, development, qualification and certification tests
  • Test setup, pass/fail criteria, witnessing, data review, test report review and failed-test assessment

Certification Strategy & CVE Support

Authority-facing certification support for novel electric and hybrid-electric propulsion topics, including certification plans, compliance checklists, Means / Methods of Compliance, artifact review and CVE activities where the Design Organisation context allows it.
  • Certification plan and compliance checklist definition for SC-VTOL, SC E-19 / EHPS, SC E-18, SC E-22, CS/Part-23, powered-lift and Part-27 contexts
  • Means / Methods of Compliance definition, negotiation and alignment with EASA, FAA and other authorities
  • Type Design Data, requirements, design documents, safety assessments, test procedures and test reports review
  • Test plan approval support, conformity review of test articles / setups, test witnessing and compliance evidence review
  • Certification impact review for hybrid-electric propulsion behaviours, operating modes and electrical-side system interfaces
  • Assessment of changes, nonconformities, production deviations, problem reports, flight conditions and limitations
  • Support during development and certification gates and Design Organisation activities; CVE support where eligible and appointed

Expertise from Cell to Propulsion System level

Services Overview

Authority-facing certification support

Novel electric and hybrid-electric propulsion topics cannot yet be solved by applying a mature checklist. For propulsion batteries and electric engines, the certification task starts with translating high-level requirements and incomplete Authority expectations into a defensible system-specific Certification Plan and Compliance Checklist with concrete Means / Methods of Compliance and working with the certification Authorities to get to an agreement.
 

Electrivertic brings direct, 7+ years experience aligning on these topics with technical and policy experts in EASA and FAA projects, for both battery systems and electric motors / engines.

Support can be provided as independent subject-matter expert, certification engineer or Compliance Verification Engineer (CVE), depending on project structure, required independence and organisational appointment in a DOA.

Authority alignment since before guidance material was published

Started direct EASA Panel 5 discussions on propulsion battery certification topics in 2019, before key guidance material and Means of Compliance were available. Started EASA Panel 19 discussions on electric motor / engine certification topics in 2021.

Understanding authority expectations

Practical insight into what authorities expect to see, where requirements are implied rather than explicit, where negotiation is realistic and where technical or certification red lines are likely.

System-specific certification strategy

Development and authority alignment of certification plans, compliance checklists, Means / Methods of Compliance, design data and certification-relevant artifacts for novel electric and hybrid-electric propulsion systems.

Regulatory context:
CVE role in multiple projects: Panel 5 Electrical Systems (battery system, power distribution, wiring / EWIS, EMC / HIRF), Panel 19 Propulsion (electrical engine / motor).
Certificatrion basis: EASA SC-VTOL, SC E-19 (SC-EHPS), SC E-18, SC E-22, CS/FAR-23, FAA AC 21.17-4 Powered-Lift and FAR-27.

Technical / process context:
Authoring of Certification Plans, Compliance Checklists, test plans and procedures, conformity inspections / test witnessing and test report verification for DO-311A, DO-160G, ED-321 and project-specific qualification and verification tests of battery systems, electric engines and power distribution systems. Knowledgeable in ARP4754A, ARP4761,  DO-254 and DO-178C processes.
 
Standards / AMC Context:
Additional insights from participation in ASTM, SAE and EUROCAE standards development, including contributing to standards drafts intended to support acceptable means of compliance for new electric propulsion requirements.

Most effective when requirements are still evolving, Means of Compliance are not settled, or early architecture choices determine whether compliance demonstration remains realistic.

Why electrivertic
A senior contractor should reduce decision risk, not add another workstream. Electrivertic brings focused expert judgement where architecture, suppliers, requirements, verification and certification choices can decide program cost, schedule and certifiability.
Senior judgement without
full-time overhead
Access to unique combination of electric propulsion, battery, power distribution and certification expertise exactly when critical decisions need it: concept reviews, supplier choices, requirements validation, authority alignment, design gates or recovery work.
Fewer expensive
wrong turns
Independent review can expose weak assumptions before they become redesign loops: unrealistic functionality, unnecessary complexity, underestimated verification effort, missing interfaces, immature suppliers or certification arguments that will not survive authority scrutiny.
Support for teams
that are still scaling
Useful as technical sparring partner, system-level reviewer, certification expert or CVE while the in-house team is still being built. Experience includes growing and guiding aviation battery design teams, coaching engineers and supporting make-or-buy, supplier and service-provider decisions.
Authority-facing
certification credibility
Direct experience aligning certification strategies, compliance checklists and Means / Methods of Compliance with EASA and FAA on novel battery, electric engine, power distribution and EWIS topics where guidance was incomplete or still evolving.
Advice grounded in
implementation reality
First-hand responsibility from architecture definition, cell selection, supplier management and simulation through manufacturing setup, testing, aircraft integration, first flight and certification artifact release. The focus is on solutions that can be built, verified and certified.
Electrivertic is not providing more engineering capacity, it is supporting with senior judgement for the decisions where a program can save or lose months.

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Aerospace electric propulsion experience

Since 2023, electrivertic has supported multiple aviation OEMs and system suppliers on Li-Ion energy storage, electric engines, HV power distribution, system interfaces and electric propulsion certification.
Project examples:
  • Volocopter: continued supporting as external EPS CVE consultant after leaving as a full-time employee
  • CS-23 / SC-E19 (EASA propulsion system TC): CVE electric engine and battery system
  • eVTOL OEM (US FAA Powered-Lift project): Battery certification engineer, certification plan and compliance checklist support
  • eVTOL OEM (JCAB project): Architectural, technical and regulatory assessment support
  • eVTOL OEM (European project): Early stage involvement, hybrid-electric propulsion system architectural and certification strategy support
  • FAR-27 OEM (TCCA project): Certification strategy and means of compliance for hybrid-electric propulsion system retrofit
  • Cargo drone OEMs (European and Asian projects): Battery system and BMS detailed requirements, supplier assessments
Case Study

Volocopter eVTOL battery development

Technical leadership and responsibility for the in-house development of the first EASA-certifiable aviation propulsion battery system for SC-VTOL category “enhanced” from blank slate up to SOF for piloted flights

Cell selection

Main challenges: Find an optimal solution to the multilemma: Energy density vs. power density vs. availability vs. safety vs. aviation qualification, to comply with product and certification requirements
Role: Technical assessment & selection responsibility

E/E architecture

Main challenges: Design HV electrical system layout with redundand battery packs, power distribution and BMS, incl. component selection, so as to maximize power provision safety & reliability (FDAL A, higher than ASIL-D) while minimizing weight and development effort
Role: Concept developemnt & technical leadership

Tradeoff studies

Main challenges: Assess impact of battery-side and/or aircraft-side modifications on aircraft performance and regulatory/product requirements compliance by developing battery models and integrating with aircraft models
Role: Model development & analysis responsibility

Interface management

Main challenges: Coordinate electrical, electronic, physical and thermal interfaces of battery system with aircraft structure and avionics systems and develop battery system HMI (cautions and warnings, remaining energy, range and time pilot indications)
Role: Concept development & technical responsibility

Thermal Runaway - Fire safety

Main challenges: Find agreement with certification authorities on safety targets (much higher requirements than in automotive), develop and verify concepts to meet requirements while minimizing weight.
Role: Detailed development & technical responsibility

Thermal management

Main challenges: Develop a thermal management system for the swappable battery packs with minimal weight, complexity, development and certification effort.
Role: Concept development incl. simulation & technical leadership

Weight

Main challenges: Find materials and structural concepts for the battery pack housings and aircraft integration that are able to withstand high vibration, crash and thermal (fire) loads with minimal weight
Role: Concept development & technical responsibility

Testing

Main challenges: Define development and certification verification testing methods and strategy, and deploy testing infrastructure for electrical, mechanical, thermal and abuse testing from cell to system level
Role: Technical leadership & responsibility

Manufacturing

Main challenges: Prepare make vs. buy decision for pack manufacturing and define production concept & key processes, production equipment requirements, and incoming / inline / end of line inspection methods.
Role: Technical leadership

Certification

Main challenges: Work with authorities and standards bodies to finalize unclear / incomplete certification requirements for aviation electric propulsion systems and ensure full implementation by the development team, adhering to aviation development processes.
Role: Leadership & responsibility (CVE)
Case Study

Electric propulsion system certification for CS-23 aircraft

Supporting the certification of the first SC E-19 electric propulsion system (combined battery and electric engine) TC for a CS-23 Level 1 aircraft as CVE for electrical motor and battery system in the H55 EASA DOA.

Electric Motor

  • Create the Compliance Checklist and find agreement with EASA
  • Complete overhaul of CCL due to change of the certification basis from SC E-18 to SC E-19, incl. corresponding impact assessments
  • Support motor redesign activities to comply with critical parts requirements
  • Enable use of non-aerospace motor supplier
  • Participation in EUROCAE WG113 developing standards for endurance & durability testing
  • Definition of corresponding test procedures and alignment with EASA Panel 19
  • Review of qualification test plans
  • Support for PDR, CDR milestones

Battery System

  • Supported as SME and certification engineer before being nominated as CVE
  • Complete overhaul of CCL due to change of the certification basis from SC E-22 to SC E-19, incl. corresponding impact assessments
  • Supported PDR, CDR, TRR item and system level milestones
  • Authoring and review of qualification test procedures
  • Formal CVE witnessing of certification tests (conformity inspection of test article and setup, witnessing of test execution)
  • Review of test reports
  • Support with EASA discussions
  • Review of changes, deviations and issues with the development teams and in the Change Board

Earlier battery
development
background

About

Dr.-Ing. Kyriakos Georgiadis, MBA is an interdisciplinary engineer, electric propulsion certification expert and former Volocopter battery development lead with more than 10 years of experience in high-performance battery systems, electric propulsion architectures and aerospace certification.

He has worked as Head of Battery Development, Electric Propulsion System Architect and Electric Propulsion System CVE, with responsibility for batteries, HV power distribution, motors and inverters, LV power distribution, EWIS certification topics and the interfaces between these systems.
 
Since 2023 he supports aviation OEMs and system suppliers as an independent consultant, Subject Matter Expert, certification engineer, system-level development advisor, or CVE, depending on the project and Design Organisation context.

Frequently Asked Questions

Any time before Type Certification if there is a technical, supplier, verification or certification topic where focused expert support can reduce risk or accelerate progress. Earlier involvement gives more room to influence architecture and requirements and can help identify feasibility, manufacturability, certifiability, requirements and verification risks before they become expensive redesign loops, but targeted support is also useful later on for troubleshooting, authority alignment, process improvement, design reviews, test issues or closing specific compliance gaps.
Yes, the usual role is not to replace the team, but to add senior system-level judgement, challenge assumptions, review key decisions, support certification strategy and help engineers understand which implementation details matter for later integration, verification and authority discussions.
Most projects are structured as per-hour on-demand support with an agreed upper limit of hours per week or month. This works well for reviews, technical sparring, certification discussions, supplier assessments and recurring support during critical program phases.
Typical project involvement is around 4 to 24 hours per week, depending on urgency, scope and meeting cadence. Full-time engagement is possible only in special circumstances and is not the default model.
Yes, but only when the deliverables are well defined and the effort can be estimated realistically. Open-ended support, evolving certification questions and complex technical reviews are usually better handled on an hourly basis with an agreed cap.
Yes, remote collaboration is the default, with occasional onsite presence when useful or requested for workshops, reviews, test activities or authority meetings. I am working or have worked with clients in Europe, the Americas and Asia. Permanent relocation is not offered.
Yes, as CVE for EASA Design Organizations. Technical subjects for which I have already acted as CVE in front of EASA: Panel 5 (electrical), Panel 19 (powerplant).
 
For projects outside the EU I can support as system-level development advisor, certification engineer or independent subject matter expert, depending on the project structure and required independence, and can support with EASA TC validation.
The current focus is aerospace electric and hybrid-electric propulsion. Earlier automotive, industrial and stationary battery experience remains useful technical background, but consulting work is primarily targeted at aviation OEMs, aircraft programs and aerospace system suppliers.

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Location

Karlsruhe, Germany