News: Microelectronics
14 May 2026
CSA Catapult a core technology partner providing SiC power module for project SONATA
The UK’s Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult says that it is a core technology partner in project SONATA, which is funded by the ATI Programme, to develop an on-aircraft electric taxi system with regenerative braking and energy recovery.
The Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) is an independent not-for-profit organization working in partnership with the UK government and industry to enhance the competitiveness of the UK aerospace sector through technology leadership and funding. Since 2014, it has invested over £3.5bn of joint government-industry funding in a balanced portfolio of research and technology projects. The ATI Programme is delivered in partnership with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and Innovate UK (part of UK Research and Innovation).
CSA Catapult is a not-for-profit center of excellence established in 2018 by government agency Innovate UK that specializes in the measurement, characterization, integration and validation of compound semiconductor technology spanning power electronics, advanced packaging, radio frequency and microwave, and photonics applications.
Working alongside consortium partners Airbus, Evolito, DePe Gear, DSD, Magnomatics, the University of Southampton and Denchi, CSA Catapult’s aims to deliver the advanced power electronics and semiconductor integration that underpin the system’s performance and efficiency.
Electric wheel taxiing allows aircraft to move on the ground using electric motors rather than main engines, reducing fuel burn, emissions, noise and brake wear during taxi operations.
Project SONATA is said to represent a step toward cleaner, smarter and more efficient aircraft operations, demonstrating how UK-led innovation in power electronics and compound semiconductor technology can unlock new capabilities for the aviation sector.
By delivering the critical energy conversion, control and packaging technologies at the heart of Project SONATA, CSA Catapult says it is helping to pave the way for a future where electric ground operations become standard, reducing emissions, improving efficiency and strengthening the UK’s position as a global leader in next-generation aerospace electrification.
“This is government and business collaboration in action to keep the UK at the forefront of innovation in our world-class aerospace sector, and I look forward to seeing how Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult’s project can cut emissions and transform airport taxiing for the long term,” says Industry Minister Chris McDonald. “We’re boosting our support for the aerospace industry through our Modern Industrial Strategy – giving business the confidence it needs to invest in UK advanced manufacturing and sustainable aviation.”
CSA Catapult’s role is to provide the control, power conversion and monitoring required to drive the wheel actuator motors. This includes the design, build and validation of the key power electronic converters that make electric taxiing possible.
“We are enormously proud to be a key enabler of project SONATA through our development of custom silicon carbide [SiC] power modules for aerospace applications,” says CSA Catapult’s chief executive Caroline O’Brien. “This project combines our advanced R&D expertise, and our unique position in the semiconductor supply chain as the organization that unlocks the wider ecosystem,” she adds.
“We combine active metal brazed (AMB) substrates for high thermal conductivity, additive manufacturing for lightweight, compact structural components, and AI-driven design optimization to achieve maximum power density and minimum thermal loss,” continues O’Brien.
“CSA Catapult is designing, optimizing, manufacturing and testing a bespoke SiC power module for integration into its multi-level, multi-phase aerospace inverter topology, targeting an ambitious 15kW/kg power density that positions the technology at the forefront of emerging aerospace expectations.”
The technology brought to the project by CSA Catapult allows efficient power converters to be integrated into the space-constrained landing gear bay, while maintaining reliability under vibration, shock, and thermal cycling.
