Since all Boeing 787 have been grounded by FAA after various onboard fires of lithium-ion batteries incidents, Boeing and the US administration have looked for a technical solution to enable the 50 delivered aircraft to fly again as soon as possible.

According to a MIT professor, Boeing may have to switch to Nickel metal-hydride technology (NiMH), safer but heavier. They would need new controllers, temperature sensors and maybe events to dissipate the heat from the batteries. The required developments and certification would mean the 787 to remain grounded until 2014.