DCADE · Project

Diamond-Based Power Electronics and Arc Fault Detection for Safer Electric Aircraft

transportTestedTRL 5

dcade.neel.cnrs.fr

Aviation is going electric, but flying at high altitude creates a big problem — the thin air makes electrical systems more likely to spark and arc, which is dangerous. Think of it like your car's engine needing to work differently on a mountain pass. This project built and tested power converters using diamond semiconductors (yes, actual diamond — it turns out diamond conducts electricity brilliantly under extreme conditions) and a smart arc-detection system that uses a neural network to spot electrical faults before they become dangerous. They compared diamond chips against the current best option (silicon carbide) and built working prototypes of both.

By the numbers

consortium partners

demonstrators built (Seville and Toulouse)

batches of diamond FET transistors fabricated

total project deliverables

demo-level deliverables

semiconductor technologies compared (SiC vs Diamond)

The business problem

What needed solving

Electric aircraft need power converters that work reliably at high altitude where thin air causes dangerous electrical arcing. Current silicon-based electronics are too heavy and cannot handle the megawatt-scale power needed for future electric aviation. Without better power electronics and smarter fault detection, the all-electric aircraft remains stuck on the drawing board.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered 4 key prototypes: a functional DC/DC converter based on SiC semiconductors, 2 batches of diamond power Field Effect Transistors with full electrical characterization, and an arc fault detection system with a neural network embedded on a dedicated electronic board capable of driving circuit breakers. All prototypes were demonstrated at partner facilities.

Audience

Who needs this

Aircraft OEMs developing electric or hybrid-electric propulsion (Airbus, Embraer, Lilium, Volocopter)Power electronics companies designing converters for extreme environmentsAviation electrical distribution system suppliers (Safran, Collins Aerospace)Wide bandgap semiconductor manufacturers exploring diamond as next-gen materialElectric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) startups needing lightweight high-voltage systems

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Aerospace & Electric Aviation

enterprise

Target: Aircraft OEMs and electric propulsion system integrators

If you are an aircraft manufacturer developing hybrid-electric or all-electric propulsion systems and struggling with power density at high altitude — this project developed diamond-based DC/DC converter prototypes and compared them against SiC converters, with 2 demonstrators tested at partner facilities in Spain and France. The results include a clear advantages/disadvantages table for each semiconductor type, giving you data to make sourcing decisions for next-generation power electronics.

Power Electronics & Semiconductors

any

Target: Wide bandgap semiconductor manufacturers and converter designers

If you are a power electronics company looking to move beyond silicon carbide into diamond semiconductors for extreme environments — this project produced 2 batches of functional diamond power Field Effect Transistors with full IV-T and CV-f-T characterization, benchmarked against other wide bandgap transistors. The prototypes and measurement data can accelerate your own product development for high-voltage, high-temperature applications.

Aviation Safety & Electrical Distribution

mid-size

Target: Aircraft electrical system suppliers and safety equipment manufacturers

If you are an aviation electrical systems supplier dealing with arc fault risks in high-voltage DC distribution at altitude — this project built an arc fault detection prototype embedding a neural network on a dedicated electronic board, with sensor integration and circuit breaker control. The system was validated for low-pressure, high-altitude conditions where conventional detection methods fail.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or adopt this technology?

The project does not publish licensing costs. The coordinator is Skylife Engineering (Spain, SME), and IP likely sits across the 5-partner consortium. Contact the coordinator to discuss licensing terms for the diamond converter or the arc fault detection system separately.

Can these prototypes scale to industrial production?

The diamond FET transistors went through 2 fabrication batches, showing iterative improvement. The SiC DC/DC converter reached functional prototype stage ready for demonstration. However, diamond semiconductor manufacturing is still maturing industry-wide, so scaling to mass production would require further development.

What is the IP situation — can I use these results?

This was an RIA (Research and Innovation Action) under Clean Sky 2. IP is typically owned by the partners who generated it. With 5 partners across 2 countries (Spain, France), licensing would need to be negotiated with the relevant partner depending on whether you want the converter technology or the arc fault detection system.

How does the diamond converter compare to existing SiC solutions?

The project produced deliverable D2.4 with a direct comparison including a table of advantages and disadvantages for each semiconductor. Based on the project scope, diamond offers potential gains in high-voltage, high-temperature operation, but SiC remains more mature for near-term deployment.

Is this only for aircraft, or can it be used in other industries?

The core technologies — diamond power transistors and neural-network-based arc fault detection — have applications beyond aviation. High-voltage DC distribution systems in renewable energy, rail, and marine sectors face similar challenges, especially where weight and safety are critical.

What is the timeline to market readiness?

The project closed in October 2023 with functional prototypes demonstrated at partner facilities. Based on available project data, further engineering, certification, and qualification cycles would be needed before flight-ready hardware, likely placing commercial deployment several years out.

Consortium

Who built it

The DCADE consortium is compact but well-structured: 5 partners across Spain and France, with a 40% industry ratio and 2 SMEs including the coordinator Skylife Engineering. The mix of 2 industry players, 1 university, and 2 research organizations means there is both academic depth in diamond semiconductor physics and industrial know-how in converter design and aviation systems. The coordinator being an SME is a positive signal for business engagement — SMEs tend to be more agile and commercially motivated than large research institutions. Having demonstrators at both Skylife (Seville) and IRTSE (Toulouse) shows the technology was validated across two independent facilities.

SKYLIFE ENGINEERING SLCoordinator · ES
UNIVERSITE GRENOBLE ALPESthirdparty · FR
IRT ANTOINE DE SAINT EXUPERYparticipant · FR
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSparticipant · FR

How to reach the team

Skylife Engineering SL (Seville, Spain) — an SME specializing in aerospace engineering. Search for their team on LinkedIn or their company website for direct contacts.

Order a report on this consortium See SKYLIFE ENGINEERING SL profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the DCADE team to discuss licensing the diamond converter or arc fault detection technology? SciTransfer can arrange a direct meeting with the right technical lead.

Order a report on this topic More in Transport & Mobility