航空电气化电力电子与驱动系统特刊主编寄语

In response to the urgent call for global net-zero emissions by 2050, as underscored at the COP26 summit, the transportation sector is undergoing a rapid transformation. While the automotive industry has made remarkable progress in electrification, the aviation sector is now intensifying its focus on sustainable propulsion technologies. Electric propulsion is a key enabler in this transition, offering significant benefits such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions, lower noise levels, and improved operational efficiency compared to traditional gas turbine engines. Power electronics and drive systems form the technological backbone of electric propulsion, playing a central role in achieving the performance, safety, and reliability required for electrified aircraft. From power conversion and distribution to motor control and fault protection, advancements in these areas are critical for realizing aviation electrification. This Special Issue on Power Electronics and Drive Systems for Aviation Electrification brings together 20 high-quality, peer-reviewed articles selected from 46 submissions, offering a broad and in-depth view of the latest research, innovations, and practical solutions in this rapidly evolving field. The accepted articles span a diverse range of topics, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of aviation electrification. Highlights from this issue include the following. Energy management and hybrid power supply systems, such as “A Power Allocation Method for Semi-Active Battery–Supercapacitor Hybrid Systems and Dynamic Power Balancing for Aircraft Battery Packs.” Protection and reliability, featuring novel approaches, including “Co-Design of Detection, Actuation, and Control for Solid-State Circuit Breakers in Electrified Aircraft Propulsion System” and more. System stability and power quality, such as “Stability Analysis of Multiple-Source DC Networks in Fuel Cell Aircraft” and “Second-Carrier Harmonic Cancellation for a DC Bus Fed by Multiple Dual Active Bridges in More Electric Aircraft Applications.” Power converter innovations, such as “500 kW Resonant Switched-Capacitor Converter for 1600 V Electric Trucks and Electric Aircraft Powertrain Application” and “Design and Experimental Validation of a High-Power-Density GaN-Based Inverter Module for Integrated Modular Motor Drives in All Electric Aircraft Applications.” Thermal management solutions, including studies on “Heat-Pipe-Based Thermal Management System Design for a 250 kW GaN-Based Integrated Modular Motor Drive” and “Practical Thermal Solution for 1 MVA Three-level ANPC Inverter in Aerospace Applications.” Additionally, the issue includes articles on advanced motor drive control and a comprehensive review on electrical insulation challenges in electric powertrain components operating under low-pressure flight conditions—a critical area for high-altitude electric aircraft development. We would like to express our deepest appreciation to all the authors who contributed their high-quality research to this special issue. We are also grateful to the reviewers for their rigorous and insightful feedback, which ensured the high standard of the published work. Finally, we thank the editorial team at IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics for their continuous support in the preparation and publication of this special issue. We hope that this collection of articles will serve as a valuable reference and inspiration for researchers, engineers, and policymakers working toward a cleaner, quieter, and more electrified future of aviation.