ZeroAvia built the world’s largest hydrogen electric aircraft. The aircraft is one step closer to the production model as it completed a 10-min flight from Cotswold Airport in the UK. It was part of the HyFlyer II project which is funded by the government. Small passenger planes will be used for a better environment.
The powertrain was fueled using “compressed gaseous hydrogen produced with an on-site electrolyzer.” The testing configuration included two fuel-cell stacks and lithium-ion battery packs housed in the cabin for the test. However, for commercial use, they would move to external storage to make room for seating. In addition, it was paired with a Honeywell TPE-331 stock engine on the right wing for extra power during takeoff and safety-related redundancy.
ZeroAvia says it’s on track to certify the technology this year, with plans for commercial routes by 2025. The company is also working on a 2-5 MW powertrain program that will scale the technology for aircraft up to 90 seats; the goal is to expand into narrow-body planes in the next decade. In addition, Amazon has invested in the company as part of its Climate Pledge Fund.
ZeroAvia has been working toward the development of zero-emission commercial plane operations with its 600kW powertrain by 2024, targeting nine to nineteen-seat aircraft with a range of 300 miles. That propulsion system will be followed by a two to five mega-watt version, targeting a 700-mile range. The company already has investments from Alaska Air Group in addition to another $35 million from United Airlines. Last summer, ZeroAvia announced an additional $30 million in funding to help further develop its hydrogen-electric plane technology to get into the air.
Details
The twin-engine plane was retrofitted with ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric engine on its left wing, which operated alongside a Honeywell TPE-331 stock engine on the right as a failsafe.
The flight took place from ZeroAvia’s R&D facility at Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire, UK. Earlier today overseas, the hydrogen-electric plane completed taxi, take-off, a full pattern circuit, and landing; its maiden flight lasted 10 minutes, and all systems performed as expected. ZeroAvia founder and CEO Val Miftakhov spoke at this momentous event for the future of zero-emissions aviation. “This is a major moment, not just for ZeroAvia, but for the aviation industry as a whole, as it shows that true zero-emission commercial flight is only a few years away. The first flight of our 19-seat aircraft shows just how scalable our technology is and highlights the rapid progress of zero-emission propulsion.”
