Abstract: A control system for charging an aircraft, comprising: a battery pack, an input device configured to enable a user to select between different charging modes, two main contactors connecting the battery pack to an electric propulsion unit (EPU) load and an auxiliary load, a EPU load contactor connecting the battery pack to the EPU load and a controller configured to receive the selected charge mode and control the contactors, keep the two main contactors open upon receiving a user selection to charge in a first mode, close the two main contactors and keep an EPU load contactor open upon receiving a user selection to charge in a second mode, and close the two main contactors and the EPU load contactor upon receiving a user selection to charge in a third mode.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for charging system for an aircraft. The charging system may comprise a plurality of electric propeller units (EPUs), a plurality of battery packs configured to power the plurality of EPUs, a charge port configured to accept high voltage power to charge the plurality of battery packs, a common high voltage charging bus connected to the charge port, and a charge control unit configured to determine battery pack charge contactor commands based on flight information for an aircraft and a current state of each battery pack of the plurality of battery packs. The plurality of battery packs may be chargeable through the common high voltage charging bus and each of the plurality of battery packs may include a disconnection device configured to disconnect the battery pack from charging.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus for redundant control of active fuses for battery pack safety is provided, comprising a battery; an electrical load coupled to the battery via a fuse capable of being activated by an electrical signal; a sensor configured to sense a short circuit condition at the electrical load and output an analog sensor signal; an analog-to-digital converter configured to sample the analog sensor signal and output a digital sensor signal; a microcontroller configured to detect the short circuit condition at the electrical load based on the digital sensor signal, and, during normal operation, to output a first electrical signal to activate the fuse after detecting the short circuit condition at the electrical load; and an analog circuit configured to operate independently of the microcontroller to receive the analog sensor signal and output a second electrical signal to activate the fuse after receiving the analog sensor signal.