Electrical power systems and methods

An electrical power system for an aerial vehicle, the electrical power system comprising a plurality of electrical devices, a distribution network and a control system,

• wherein the plurality of electrical devices includes a primary set of electrical sources and a primary set of electrical loads;
• wherein the distribution network is configured to electrically couple the primary set of electrical loads to the primary set of electrical sources;
• wherein the distribution network comprises:
• a plurality of switches, each switch being configured to selectively isolate a respective electrical device from the distribution network, and
• a sensor;
• and
• wherein the control system is configured to detect an electrical fault associated with the distribution network based on a signal received from the sensor, and is further configured to perform a fault procedure in response to detection of an electrical fault, the fault procedure comprising:
• (a) controlling the plurality of switches such that all of the electrical devices are isolated from the distribution network;
• (b) subsequently controlling the switches to progressively re-couple at least some of the plurality of electrical devices to the distribution network in a re-coupling order and monitoring for re-detection of an electrical fault based on a signal received from the sensor as the electrical devices are progressively re-coupled;
• (c) identifying a set of one or more of the plurality of electrical devices re-coupled to the distribution network to cause the re-detection of the electrical fault, the set of one or more electrical devices being a fault event set;
• and
• controlling at least one of the plurality of switches to isolate the fault event set from the distribution network.