Imagine swapping out batteries on a plane the way you swap batteries on a power drill — fly, land, pop in a fresh pack, and go again. That's what Pipistrel built here: a fully electric light sport aircraft that went from a working prototype shown at an airshow in 2014 all the way to a production line ready to ship planes. They also developed a fast charger, an energy recovery system (like regenerative braking but for descending aircraft), and online software so flight schools can manage bookings, billing, and student training in one place.
Flight schools and private aviation operators face rising fuel costs, increasing noise restrictions around airfields, and growing pressure to reduce carbon emissions. Traditional combustion-engine training aircraft are expensive to operate, require frequent engine maintenance, and face tightening environmental regulations. There is no widely available, production-ready electric alternative with the ground infrastructure (fast charging, battery swapping) needed for high-utilization flight training operations.
Pipistrel built a production-ready electric Light Sport Aircraft with a dedicated serial production line, a fast battery charger, a swappable battery pack system for minimal ground turnaround, an energy recuperation system to extend flight time during descent, a flight school management portal for scheduling and billing, and an interactive training system for pilots and maintenance shops.
If you are a flight school dealing with rising fuel costs and complex aircraft scheduling — this project developed a production-ready electric training aircraft with a dedicated flight school management system that tracks aircraft usage, direct operation costs, bookings, and student progress through a single online portal.
If you are an airport or fixed-base operator looking to support the growing electric aviation segment — this project developed a fast battery charger and a swappable battery pack system that enables rotating battery packs between flights, keeping aircraft utilization high without long ground charging delays.
If you are a maintenance repair shop preparing for electric aircraft servicing — this project built a dedicated training system with audiovisual materials specifically designed for repair shops to learn electric aircraft maintenance, plus an interactive online course for pilots and owners.
The project received EUR 1,877,603 in EU funding to move from prototype to serial production. Specific aircraft pricing is not disclosed in the project data. However, the flight school management system was designed to track direct operation costs, suggesting significantly lower per-flight costs compared to combustion-engine trainers.
Yes. One of the key deliverables was 'WATTsUP serial production' — building a dedicated production line with the first aircraft available for delivery. The project was specifically funded under the SME-2 scheme, which targets commercialization of market-ready products.
The project objective explicitly includes deciding on the feasibility and type of IPR protection. As a single-company project by Pipistrel (100% industry consortium), all IP is held by one entity, which simplifies any licensing or partnership negotiations.
The project developed a replacement system with specially selected connectors and harnesses that allow safe and fast interchange of battery packs. This enables a rotating battery pack model — while one pack flies, another charges on the ground using the fast charger, minimizing aircraft downtime.
The project objective includes certifying WATTsUP in their initial target markets. As an LSA-class (Light Sport Aircraft) aircraft, it follows a lighter certification path than larger commercial planes. Based on available project data, specific market certifications achieved are not detailed.
Yes. The project delivered two software systems: an interactive online training course for pilots and owners, and a dedicated maintenance training section with audiovisual materials for repair shops. Additionally, the flight school management system handles booking, billing, and student progress tracking.
The project ran from August 2015 to December 2017 and is now closed. The prototype was first publicly demonstrated at Salon de Blois airshow in France on 30-31 August 2014, meaning the technology had over 3 years of development from public prototype to production readiness.
This is a single-company project — Pipistrel, a Slovenian SME and established aircraft manufacturer, is the sole partner. With 100% industry participation and zero academic partners, this was purely a commercialization effort, not a research exercise. For a business buyer, this is a strong signal: no committee of universities debating theory, just one manufacturer turning its own prototype into a production aircraft. The EUR 1,877,603 EU investment went entirely into getting a real product to market.
Pipistrel (now part of Textron eAviation) in Slovenia — contact their commercial or business development team for production aircraft inquiries.
Want to explore electric training aircraft for your flight school or integrate fast-charging infrastructure at your airfield? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the development team behind WATTsUP.
