About Sabatair
The amount of lithium metal and ion batteries transported by air has been in constant growth in view of their ubiquitous application in an ever wider range of electric and electronic products. However, lithium batteries may have been the cause, or contributed to, uncontrolled fires that led to the loss of three cargo aircraft between 2006 and 2011.
The specific objective of the Sabatair project is to propose and evaluate specific packaging solutions and other operational measures aimed at the safe transportation of both lithium metal and lithium ion batteries on board an aircraft - passenger and cargo alike. The effectiveness of these solutions and measures shall be validated through a series of studies and/or experimental tests, representative of the environmental and operating conditions encountered in air transport. A risk assessment method will be developed to support air transport operators in using such solutions and measures in their daily operations.
The Sabatair Project is a research project funded by the European Union, coordinated by VITO and supervised by EASA and DG MOVE with the support of a Scientific Committee. The scope of the Sabatair Project was defined in the Tender N° MOVE/C2/2016-353. The project ran from November 2017 till November 2020.