Danish Military Becomes First in the World to Launch Electric Planes in Green Switch

The Danish military has admitted that the technology is still maturing and has its limitations and challenges. So far, for instance, a full charge takes about 45 minutes, whereas the flight itself lasts between half an hour and 50 minutes.

The Danish military has sent its first two electric planes into the air, and the initial experiences are positive, the Armed Forces said in a press release.

Since receiving the two electric planes from the Slovenia-based manufacturer Pipistrel, the Danish Air Force has carried out a number of test flights, which reportedly turned out well.

"The aircraft are 100 percent emission-free, very quiet, and otherwise cheap to operate. We can see a lot of perspective in using electric aircraft when the technology becomes mature", Lieutenant Colonel Casper Børge Nielsen said, as quoted by TV2.

The propeller-driven aircraft can accomodate two people on board and will be used for pilot training. A full charge takes about 45 minutes, whereas the flight lasts between half an hour and 50 minutes, the Danish Armed Forces informed.

The military leased both single-engine aircraft for the next two years. According to Casper Børge Nielsen of the Materiel and Procurement Agency, which is responsible for the deal, leasing them is a good solution because the technology is still at an initial stage. The cost of the deal remains undisclosed.

"We get the opportunity to go in depth and explore the potential of the capacity without the risk of ending up with equipment we cannot really use", Børge Nielsen explained.

The trial period is expected to give "solid insight" into the the aircraft's and technology's possibilities, current limitations, and challenges, the Danish military said.

Casper Børge Nielsen earlier explained that electric aircraft are far less prevalent than electric cars, as batteries for electric aircraft are typically too heavy.

"The weight means a lot more to the electric planes compared to electric cars that are gaining more and more traction", he explained.

While several of Denmark's Nordic peers announced a green push that encompasses all spheres of life, the Swedish Armed Forces voiced concerns that it may limit the possibilities to defend the country.

Among other things, the problem identified by the country's Armed Forces is that biofuel, heavily lobbied by the government, has a shorter shelf life and is more sensitive to cold, which may leave the Nordic country in a pinch during a crisis or a war.