Electric Aviation: Development, Challenges, and Future Prospects

The escalating carbon emissions from machinery and transportation have intensified global warming and extreme weather events, driving a strong commitment to environmental protection. As a significant step towards reducing emissions, the adoption of electric vehicles over traditional fossil fuel-powered models is rapidly increasing. This shift has spurred many researchers to explore the electrification of aviation, a crucial and emerging mode of transportation. The focus has been on advancing battery technology and developing various configurations of electric aircraft. Although the widespread use of electric commercial airplanes remains a distant goal, several companies are on the brink of deploying light regional electric aircraft. This paper provides a comprehensive review of electric aviation, examining its environmental impacts and the technological challenges it faces, along with the demonstration of progress made by key industry players. This work also highlights the potential future directions for electric aviation as it moves closer to becoming a viable alternative to conventional aircraft.