Development Trends of Novel Electric Power Systems for Electrified Aviation: System Architectures, Energy Storage Equipment, and Power Conversion

Under the imperative to establish a low-carbon aviation paradigm, aviation power systems are accelerating their transition toward hybridization and full electrification to overcome energy technology barriers and enable multi-energy synergistic utilization. Emerging power electronics-based electric power systems with deeply integrated energy storage equipment have demonstrated critical potential for achieving electrified aviation, leveraging advantages in high-efficiency energy transmission and flexible power distribution. First, recent research advancements in aircraft electric power system architectures are systematically analyzed, with their technical characteristics and key challenges comprehensively outlined. Second, critical performance metrics including energy density, power density, and service life are rigorously evaluated to summarize the state-of-the-art in onboard energy storage technologies, while application-oriented scenarios for different energy storage solutions are thoroughly examined. Third, deeply comparative analyses of major DC transformer and inverter topologies are conducted, focusing on efficiency, reliability, power capacity, and evolutionary trends. Finally, key enabling technologies and persistent challenges for future power system architectures are identified, whose breakthroughs are expected to drive the autonomous development of advanced power supply systems for next-generation large aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs), and aerospace vehicles in China.