Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MCHP), a leading provider of microcontroller, mixed-signal, analog and Flash-IP solutions, today announced the launch of an integrated drive power solution for aircraft electrification that will help designers of aircraft power systems respond quickly to changing market conditions.

Microchip Technology Inc. today announced the launch of a new integrated drive power solution that provides a comprehensive electric drive solution for the aviation industry.

The solution combines a silicon carbide or silicon technology-based Hybrid Power Drive (HPD) module with a power range of 5kVA to 20kVA and a companion gate driver board.

The newly launched integrated drive power solution is designed to maintain the same footprint regardless of power output.

The companion gate driver is designed to be integrated with Microchip's Hybrid Power Drive (HPD) to provide an all-in-one motor drive solution for electrification of systems such as flight control, braking and landing gear.

These power solutions from Microchip are designed to be scalable to meet the needs of a wide range of end applications, from small actuation systems for drones to high-power actuation systems for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, MEAs, and electric aircraft.

“We developed a companion gate driver board that can be used with our existing HPD modules to provide the market with a plug-and-play power solution for MEAs,” said Leon Gross, vice president of Microchip’s Discrete Products Business Unit. “This solution eliminates the need for customers to design and develop their own drive circuitry, saving design time, resources and costs.”

The device features a variety of protection features, including shoot-through detection, short-circuit/overcurrent protection, under voltage lock out (UVLO), and active Miller clamping, and is certified to DO-160, 'Environmental Conditions and Testing for Electronic Equipment Used in Aircraft.'

The gate driver board is designed to be driven by an external PWM signal based on low voltage differential signaling (LVDS), which is TIA/EIA-644 compliant and has low electromagnetic interference (EMI) and high noise immunity.

This gate driver board receives feedback from the HPD module and the shunts present in the DC bus voltage and differentially outputs telemetry signals such as DC bus current, phase current, and solenoid current.

Direct output from the two PT1000 temperature sensors inside the HPD power module is also possible.

This companion gate driver is a lightweight, compact solution that optimizes the size and power efficiency of your drive system.

It is also designed to operate over a temperature range of -55°C to +110°C, which is important for aviation applications frequently exposed to harsh environments. />
The isolated companion gate driver board requires only a single 15 V DC input for the control and drive circuitry; all additional voltages required are generated on the board itself.

This significantly reduces the number of system components and simplifies system cabling.

Microchip offers integrated power solutions for MEA, including FPGAs, microcontrollers, security, memory and timing. These Microchip solutions help customers accelerate development, reduce costs and shorten time to market.