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[Everett, WA & Kemble, UK] — ZeroAvia today announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has published the special conditions for the company’s electric engine as a Final Rule to the Federal Register. This represents a major step towards type certification of ZeroAvia’s electric propulsion system and wider hydrogen-electric powertrain.

The special conditions advance ZeroAvia’s readiness to progress through the certification process following the FAA issuing G1 and P1 issue papers last year. It caps off a run of milestones with the respective regulators overseeing the company’s certification projects, including the UK CAA awarding the company Design Organization Approval in October last year.

Given the novelty involved in electric engines for aircraft, the special conditions contain the additional safety standards that the FAA Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by existing airworthiness standards. As the world’s only hydrogen-electric focused Design Organization Approval OEM, ZeroAvia has demonstrated it has the maturity, processes and procedures to provide confidence to regulators that it can comply with stringent requirements. 

[Kemble, UK & Everett, WA – December 22nd 2025] — ZeroAvia today announced that it has completed a further round of financing, led by Barclays Climate Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Ecosystem Integrity Fund, Horizons Ventures, Summa Equity, and AP Ventures, with participation from the National Wealth Fund and the Scottish National Investment Bank.

With additional investment secured, ZeroAvia has extended its cash runway for the next two years and will continue to fully industrialize its hydrogen power and propulsion technology for the aviation and defense markets.  

The company is already supplying its SuperStack Flex modular fuel cell power generation system to the defense sector, and there is increasing interest in the systems for unmanned aerial vehicles. The dual-use potential is strong: ZeroAvia is also in active customer discussions with eVTOL and fixed-wing commercial players in relation to deploying the compact, lightweight, flexible systems. 

The SuperStack Flex can enable both electric propulsion and enhanced on-board electrical power generation with greater power density than battery systems. It unlocks all of the benefits of electrical operation – lower thermal and noise signatures, reduced maintenance costs, enhanced reliability and zero-emissions – and with significantly enhanced endurance. With Design Organisation Approval granted by the UK CAA in November, ZeroAvia is well positioned to deliver the first fuel cell systems for aviation with regulatory approvals. 

As well as a standalone power generation system with a wide variety of defense and civil applications, the SuperStack Flex is a core module of ZeroAvia’s first planned full hydrogen-electric powertrain, ZA600, designed for 10-20 seat commercial aircraft. With a prototype extensively flight tested, hundreds of engine orders in place with airline customers (including a launch customer), and funding in place to support the entry-in-service of 15 aircraft in Norway, ZeroAvia’s focus is now on pushing towards its first certification to support these opportunities.   

[Kemble, UK & Everett, WA – November 17, 2025] — ZeroAvia today announced that it has been awarded design organisation approval (DOA) by the UK CAA, a critical milestone on its path to certifying a hydrogen-electric engine intended for Part 23 aircraft. The accreditation confirms that the CAA is satisfied that ZeroAvia has the technical expertise, facilities and capabilities to design safe and reliable products, and is prepared to comply with stringent requirements for certification.

The award means that ZeroAvia has become the first company globally seeking to certify a hydrogen-electric aviation powertrain to receive DOA accreditation from a national regulator. The award confirms that a manufacturer is qualified to design and hold a type certificate for propulsion systems developed under commercial aviation regulations. These requirements are intended to ensure safe global market entry and have been adopted by other regulatory authorities, including EASA and the FAA. 

Securing DOA represents an essential enabler towards the company’s goal of securing a type certificate for its ZA600 – a 600kW powertrain which uses fuel cells to generate electricity from hydrogen, thus powering electric motors to turn aircraft propellers. Water vapour is the only emission from the engine, and it promises greater efficiency and reduced maintenance costs for airlines. 

Achieving DOA status follows two other significant regulatory milestones for ZeroAvia this year, with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issuing both G-1 and P-1 issue papers in relation to ZeroAvia’s bid to certify its 600kW electric propulsion system (EPS). The 600kW EPS is made up of the company’s proprietary motor and power electronics technology and is both an integral part of the overall ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain, and a power-source agnostic electric engine in its own right, with a range of applications. 

Earlier this year, ZeroAvia confirmed that RVL Aviation intends to be the first operator to fly the ZA600 engine in a Cessna Caravan 208b on cargo routes in the UK. The company is also working to scale the hydrogen-electric propulsion technology for larger segments of aircraft and has secured thousands of engine pre-orders with airlines across the world. 

The company has established a unique range of test facilities at its UK R&D and flight testing centre at Cotswold Airport, enabling an efficient testing programme to satisfy the means of compliance that it is in the process of agreeing with the CAA. After rigorous inspection of the facilities, interviews with ZeroAvia’s team and audit of its process, the CAA was able to award the DOA.  

[Kemble, UK & Bedford, UK – 10^th November 2025] — ZeroAvia and Hybrid Air Vehicles today announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to partner on development of a hydrogen-electric variant of Airlander 10.

Airlander 10 is a new type of hybrid aircraft that uses a combination of aerostatic lift, aerodynamic lift, and vectored thrust, with a 10 tonne payload and 4,000 nautical mile maximum range. The initial Airlander 10 will be powered by four diesel engines, providing an emissions reduction of up to 90% when compared with comparable capacity aircraft. Integrating ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric propulsion will deliver full zero-emission in-flight operations carrying 100+ passengers, as well as reduced maintenance costs.

ZeroAvia’s first generation 600kW hydrogen-electric powertrain – ZA600 – has already passed several regulatory milestones, secured hundreds of pre-orders and signed up launch customer airlines who are working to embed the system into more traditional fixed-wing aircraft for lower cost and more environmentally friendly flight. The company has conducted flight testing of a prototype on board a 19-seat aircraft.

With ample space for hydrogen storage in the hull, the Airlander represents an excellent option for adopting the first generation of certified hydrogen technologies that are already close to market entry: hydrogen storage, low temperature PEM fuel cell power generation and electric propulsion systems that are well advanced in the certification journey. This partnership will build on HAV’s earlier R&D work to explore electric propulsion for Airlander.

As part of the agreement, the companies will also study the potential applicability of ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric technology to future larger aircraft developed by Hybrid Air Vehicles, and assess planned Airlander 10 operations to define the hydrogen fuel infrastructure requirements.

[Kemble, UK & Everett, WA – November 6th – 2025] — ZeroAvia today announced that its application to the Innovation Fund for a €21.4m grant to support the introduction of hydrogen-electric aircraft has been selected for grant agreement preparation. The project will support the retrofit of 15 Cessna Caravan aircraft with ZeroAvia’s ZA600 hydrogen-electric engines and the establishment of the supporting airport hydrogen fuel technologies, with operations planned to commence in 2028. 

These zero-emission aircraft are planned to replace conventional kerosene-fueled turboprops on cargo routes and expected to see in excess of 95% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The project will also work to deliver hydrogen refuelling and storage ​infrastructure at 15 airports in Norway, establishing the world’s largest network of zero-emission commercial flights. The air operators for the network will be announced in due course.

The ODIN project aims to validate the technical performance and economic case for utilizing hydrogen-electric aircraft in commercial operations, with a view to catalyzing further adoption in Norway, across the EU and further afield.  

The project proposal was found to contribute to the objectives of the EU initiative “Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP)” and meets the requirements to receive the STEP Seal. The STEP Seal is a quality label awarded by the European Commission dedicated to boosting investment in critical technologies in Europe. ​ 

ZeroAvia’s ZA600 powertrain uses fuel cells to generate electricity from hydrogen fuel without reliance on combustion, meaning that the only emission is low-temperature water vapour. ZeroAvia has already flight tested a prototype of this system, is now ground testing its final design for certification, and concurrently working with both the UK Civil Aviation Authority and US Federal Aviation Administration on certification programmes related to the engine.  

[Kemble, UK & Everett, WA – October 15th, 2025] — ZeroAvia today announced that it has shipped its first flight intent SuperStack Flex modular low temperature proton exchange membrane (LTPEM) fuel cell system to a customer in the defense sector. The system has been fully qualified against the customer’s airworthiness requirements.

ZeroAvia’s SuperStack Flex is a modular fuel cell power generation system that can be configured to meet specific customer power needs while maintaining high power-to-weight ratio and highly flexible configuration.  

The lightweight, aerospace optimized balance-of-plant, has been developed to enhance the range of many Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV), with further potential applicability across aerospace, maritime and ground use cases. The system can be used to provide propulsive power or to deliver enhanced onboard electrical capacity, opening up new capabilities in primary propulsion, auxiliary power systems and mission systems including ISR applications. The Superstack Flex is also an ideal system for the new FAA Mosaic Light Sport Category, providing more than enough power for a standard four-seater general aviation (GA) aircraft in this sector. 

The SuperStack Flex has demonstrated over 1.2kW/kg specific power and recently completed more than 100 hours of testing, consuming over 250 kg of hydrogen, and delivering continuous power at greater than 150 kW over long intervals, with peak power over 175 kW.   

Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies are becoming increasingly relevant to armed forces due to unique advantages in energy density, lower detectability thanks to reduced thermal and noise signatures, operational flexibility and lower maintenance costs. 

Using selective laser sintering (SLS) powder-bed additive manufacturing processes, ZeroAvia has been able to perform high velocity cycles of design, build and test, and quickly combine typical parts or their functions into new monolithic structures. The key parts in the SuperStack Flex’s balance of plant – Anode, Cathode and Coolant Manifolds, thermal management, humidification and air compression systems – have been reduced from over 200 parts to less than 100, with ~50% weight and volume reductions. Fewer parts mean lighter, more compact, more reliable and less costly systems.    

In the final stages of testing, the system was providing power back to ZeroAva’s Propulsion Center of Excellence in Everett, generating enough power to offset the entire building’s consumption. 

[Kemble, UK & Everett, WA – September 2nd 2025] — ZeroAvia today announced that it has completed a full flight profile ground test of its certification-intent low temperature proton exchange membrane (LTPEM) fuel cell power generation system (PGS) for the ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain.

The test simulated a 250 nautical mile flight in a Cessna Caravan 208b aircraft, equivalent to flying between London Heathrow and Dublin Airport. During the 2 hour and 38 minute test, the fuel cell system demonstrated stable power output and excellent performance of the balance-of-plants, with each 200kW capable module producing 170kW power for take-off, 132kW during a 23-minute climb and 83kW for a 90-minute cruise. As part of the ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain for up to 20 seat planes, four 200kW rated modules of the dual stack PGS will provide electrical power for ZeroAvia’s 600kW electric propulsion system, recently the subject of G-1 and P-1 issue papers from the FAA.

Each module is capable of feeding DC electrical power to four ZeroAvia 200kW rated inverters, which in turn provide AC power to one of four segments of the company’s proprietary 600kW motor design. The segregated system enables full power operation of the motor if there is failure in one leg, creating a high degree of fault tolerance.  

For the ZA600 engine, ZeroAvia has created a multi-stack balance-of-plant architecture capable of delivering 1.4 kW/kg power density. Since initial breakthrough flight tests, the company has been working to finalize the design of the certification-intent ZA600 as it works to certify with the UK CAA.  

The company also revealed today that it has been able to optimize the weight and operation of its ZA600 power generation system (PGS) through the design and development of a bespoke passive Venturi ejector device (in conjunction with supplier The Lee Company) for the recirculation of hydrogen gas within the fuel cell system.

The latest round of testing has seen the light and compact Venturi emulating the performance of a typical electrically-driven hydrogen blower, but with many advantages. Where the heavy and bulky blower system draws parasitic power from the fuel cells, the Venturi does not, boosting the overall specific power of the system. As a passive mechanical body, the Venturi also promises very low failure rates. 

ZeroAvia’s Venturi design also simplifies the certification of the system as it is reliant on the DO160G environmental qualification, as opposed to the more stringent DO254 for complex hardware that would face a system utilizing the electric blower.  

ZeroAvia’s ZA600 power generation system is the world’s first fuel cell module designed to meet CS-E and CS-23 certification requirements. The innovative balance of plant is en route to full certification and commercialization and is well advanced in the requirements validation testing campaign. 

With both core components of the powertrain now in bench testing, ZeroAvia will move to full engine ground testing of the final design in the next few weeks. The rapid progression to this milestone for the ZA600 power generation system has been made possible by ZeroAvia’s strategy to invest in world class in-house testing facilities. ZeroAvia has built a 2MW capable fuel cell test lab at its Gloucestershire R&D center. ZeroAvia’s fuel cell test lab is equipped with two bays, which has enabled testing the systems in an open frame environment, while also progressing the volume constrained, certification-intent system. 

 [Everett, WA: August 19th, 2025] — ZeroAvia today announced that it has reached consensus with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with an agreed and fully signed P-1 Special Conditions Issue Paper regarding certification of its 600kW electric propulsion system (EPS). 

The P-1 follows issuance of the FAA G-1 in February 2025 and documents the special conditions applicable to ZeroAvia’s novel electric propulsion technology to be addressed in the certification process with the U.S. regulator. Once the FAA’s Special Conditions rule is finalized and published in the Federal Register, the means of compliance for the innovative EPS meeting those conditions will be determined in the next certification stage.  

Progressing from the G-1 to the P-1 marks another milestone both on the journey toward certification of ZeroAvia’s EPS with the U.S. regulator, and also on the path toward certifying the company’s first fully hydrogen-electric powertrain with the UK Civil Aviation Authority.  

ZeroAvia’s 600kW EPS combines the company’s proprietary inverter and electric motor technology to deliver a highly efficient electric engine with exceptional fault tolerance and specific power. The 600kW EPS system comprises four ZeroAvia 200kW continuous power bidirectional inverters converting DC power to AC to supply ZeroAvia’s direct drive motor, capable of 2,200 rpm.  

ZeroAvia launched a component offering in May 2024 to serve the market for novel electric air transport applications. Potential applications for the 600kW EPS include battery, hybrid and fuel cell electric fixed-wing aircraft, rotorcraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAV’s”).   

The electric propulsion system is one part of ZeroAvia’s deep portfolio of hydrogen and electric aviation technology, resulting from the company’s strong commitment to vertical integration. ZeroAvia’s complete ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain, designed for up to 20-seat commercial aircraft, combines the EPS with a hydrogen fuel cell power generation system (“PGS”).  

ZeroAvia has already tested a prototype of the ZA600 hydrogen-electric engine aboard a Dornier 228 aircraft at its UK base. The company also has an engineering partnership with Textron Aviation as it looks to secure a supplemental type certificate for the Cessna Grand Caravan as the launch airframe for the ZA600. And in May, the company announced RVL Aviation as its UK launch customer for the world’s first hydrogen-electric commercial service route.    

[Everett, WA & Kemble, UK July 17, 2025] — ZeroAvia today announced that it has been awarded nine new patents this year so far, with many critical to the company’s roadmap for scaling hydrogen-electric engines for large regional aircraft. The company has now been granted a total of 45 patents related to hydrogen and electric aviation systems, with almost 250 applications, most of which are still going through the patent office pipelines.  

United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) no. 12,341,225 covers an integrated hydrogen-electric engine and is key to the development of a modular multi-MW hydrogen-electric engine for ATR and Dash 8 families of aircraft. The design concept relates to ZeroAvia’s ZA2000 engine for 40-80 seat regional turboprops and jets, with advanced and novel integration concepts creating a tightly packaged, power-dense zero-emission aircraft engine.  

Also important for scaling hydrogen-electric engines for large aircraft is the delivery of fuel cell systems with higher specific power. UK patent office GB2614450 covers novel coatings for aluminium bipolar plates for high temperature PEM (HTPEM) fuel cell systems, allowing the higher temperature operation with lightweight metals, while overcoming material degradation challenges.  

Other patents granted cover key innovations in cryogenic management systems, thermal management for fuel cell systems and fuel cell catalysts using platinum nanoparticles. One relates to a refueling system for hydrogen fuel cell-powered aircraft that enables both efficient refueling and employs a thermoelectric generator to leverage the heat from the refueling process to provide electricity for other aircraft systems.  

ZeroAvia’s granted patent portfolio now includes key coverage across all key subsystems of the engine and aspects of aircraft integration. With the addition of the robust set of trade secrets, especially in the areas of material innovations related to ZeroAvia’s unique HTPEM fuel cell systems, the company now boasts one of the most advanced IP portfolios in hydrogen-electric aviation powertrain technology.  

With both Airbus and Boeing advancing plans and IP for hydrogen-ready airframes in recent weeks, securing IP on engine systems is a key building block for aspiring clean engine manufacturers for the aircraft of the future. Building a strong IP portfolio has been an integral part of ZeroAvia’s strategy since inception, with high-levels of in-house development of core systems enabling rapid progression through design gates and creating additional commercial opportunities beyond the primary commercial aero engine market.  

July 15, 2025 – ZeroAvia and Horizon Aircraft – an advanced aerospace engineering company and developer of one of the world’s first hybrid eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft – today announced plans to work together on developing regional hydrogen-electric VTOL air travel.  

Together, the companies will cooperate on exploring ZeroAvia’s ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain for Horizon Aircraft’s Cavorite X7 eVTOL.   

The Cavorite X7’s unique fan-in-wing design incorporates 14 lift fans providing the thrust for vertical takeoff, with sliding panels which hide the fans as the aircraft transitions from hover to wing-borne flight and flies like a normal plane. For landing, it can use a normal runway, or the fans can be deployed to touchdown on a helipad, or an area the size of a tennis court. 

Horizon Aircraft has already performed untethered flight tests of a large-scale prototype, including demonstrating hover modes and transition to wing-borne flight. The company has received backing from the U.S. Department of Defense and approvals for flight testing from the Canadian regulator.   

As well as investigating the integration of ZeroAvia’s powertrain, the partnership will accelerate research into the necessary infrastructure and certification guidelines to unlock a zero-emission pathway for Horizon Aircraft.  

[@Paris Air Show: June 17th, 2025] — ZeroAvia today announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Loganair to work towards potential adoption of hydrogen-electric engines to support zero-emission flights.  

ZeroAvia is advancing certification of a 600kW hydrogen-electric powertrain for 10-20 seat aircraft with the UK’s CAA. Targeting the Cessna Caravan as the launch airframe, ZeroAvia intends to obtain additional supplemental type certificates (STCs) for other aircraft in this category, including the Twin Otter a popular airframe operated by Loganair to serve communities in the Scottish Highlands & Islands.  

ZeroAvia is concurrently developing the modular ZA2000 engine for 40-80 seat aircraft such as the ATR family of aircraft, with Loganair currently operating more than 20 of these airframes.   

Hydrogen-electric engines use hydrogen in fuel cells to generate electricity to power electric motors that turn propulsors, with the only byproduct being water. With regional turboprop aircraft operating below typical contrail formation, the in-flight emissions impact is effectively zero.  

Importantly, these novel engines promise cost reductions for airlines. The substantially lower maintenance needs of hydrogen-electric engines will mean a decrease in maintenance and downtime for an airline’s fleet, with hydrogen fuel also projected to be significantly more cost effective than kerosene over time.   

Today’s agreement cements some of ZeroAvia’s growing ties in Scotland. ZeroAvia has been in a longstanding partnership to explore airport hydrogen fuel infrastructure with Glasgow Airport and recently announced plans alongside the First Minister of Scotland to establish its hydrogen fuel cell manufacturing centre close to the airport and Loganair’s headquarters.  

[@Paris Air Show: June 17th, 2025] — ZeroAvia today announced the UK Government has awarded the company and consortium partners a grant towards a £10.8m project to develop a novel liquid hydrogen management system. The project, co-funded through the ATI Programme, will culminate in integration of the lightweight fuel system into a Dornier 228 before a series of flight tests.  

The Liquid Hydrogen System Integration & Flight Test (LH-SIFT) project will rapidly develop a Liquid Hydrogen Management System (LHMS) and create an adaptable flight testbed capability. The testbed capability will benefit UK and global LH2 supply chains in maturing liquid hydrogen technologies faster. 

The LH2 management system developed as part of LH-SIFT is comprised of a novel lightweight metallic tank design and supporting systems for filling and managing storage and distribution. Consortium partners Green Resource Engineering and Gas & Liquid Controls will collaborate with ZeroAvia on fill, feed, vent and vaporiser systems.  

The project will also establish the world’s first liquid hydrogen flying commercial airframe testbed, providing unique opportunities for later projects to develop and test cryogenic aviation fuel system components in flight, building strong UK leadership in this area.  

ZeroAvia is advancing certification of a 600kW hydrogen-electric powertrain for 10-20 seat planes using gaseous hydrogen fuel. However, the company is also developing the next generation of fuel cell aircraft engines with its ZA2000 for 40-80 seat aircraft, and supporting other high-power use cases through its component offering. To support these aircraft’s typical missions, it is necessary to transition to liquid hydrogen fuel storage – storing fuel at cryogenic temperatures around -253°C – which enables more energy by volume. In addition to fueling larger aircraft platforms, smaller zero-emissions aircraft can also benefit from using liquid hydrogen to extend their capability. 

[Everett, WA and Kemble, UK: May 21, 2025] — ZeroAvia today announced that it will build a major manufacturing facility for production of its hydrogen-electric powertrains at the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland, close to Glasgow Airport in Renfrewshire.  

ZeroAvia’s Hydrogen Centre of Excellence will support the company in a range of manufacturing operations relating to powertrain production and testing and will also be the company’s primary location for production of advanced high temperature PEM (HTPEM) fuel cell stacks and supporting systems. With nearly 3,000 full engine and component pre-orders agreed with airlines and OEMs – corresponding to over $10 billion in future revenues – ZeroAvia is advancing its production operations to meet demand.  

The new facility will complement ZeroAvia’s Propulsion Center of Excellence in Washington State which is focusing primarily on electric motors and power electronics. The company also has plans to expand its R&D and aircraft testing centre at Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire. 

The project in Scotland, which will unlock millions in private investment and support hundreds of jobs over the next few years, has been made possible by a £9m Regional Selective Assistance grant from Scottish Enterprise. This follows an equity investment of £20m from the Scottish National Investment Bank into ZeroAvia as part of the company’s Series C funding, with the UK National Wealth Fund investing £32 million as a cornerstone-level investor in the round. The Series C funding round was led by Airbus, Barclays Sustainable Impact Capital and NEOM Investment Fund.

The UK Government awarded ZeroAvia and consortium partners £10.5 million to develop the advanced HTPEM fuel cells in 2024 via the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) programme in conjunction with the Department for Business and Trade and Innovate UK. The UK Government has awarded ZeroAvia £18.5 million total R&D funding since 2019 to develop their fuel cell and powertrain technology. This support alongside more than $250 million private investment has enabled ZeroAvia to make rapid progress: flying the world’s first hydrogen-electric commercial scale aircraft in 2020, more than doubling the power output to again fly the world’s largest hydrogen-electric aicraft in 2023, manufacturing and shipping fuel cell systems to customers, and securing significant regulatory traction for the certification of its powertrains. 

Scotland First Minister John Swinney and Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray spoke at an event at Glasgow Airport today (Wednesday 21 May) to launch ZeroAvia’s plans for its manufacturing facility at AMIDS. 

[Kemble, UK & Everett, WA, USA: May 13th, 2025] — ZeroAvia today announced that it has signed an agreement with RVL Aviation which will see RVL operate Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft retrofitted with ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric, zero-emission ZA600 powertrain. Flights within the British Isles will commence once certification for the engine, airframe integration and planned services are obtained and all retrofit and training work is complete.   

Analysis performed by RVL and ZeroAvia confirms that the ZA600-enabled Cessna Caravan would meet existing operational requirements while virtually eliminating the climate impact of the operations. There are nearly 1,000 aircraft operating cargo routes around the world today that could in future be powered by ZA600 powertrains.   

This current agreement focuses on one type of aircraft, Cessna Caravan 208B, with RVL working with zero-emission specialist MONTE on the aircraft lease. The partners will explore opportunities to launch further small turboprop operations in the growing RVL network based on the success of the initial operations, as well as expand the technology across its other operations when the technology and operating conditions permit.  

RVL Aviation is a specialist aviation services provider with more than 40 years of experience. The company and its skilled people deliver their expertise to a wide range of Government and private sector organisations, helping to support economic and environmental prosperity agendas. RVL Aviation is headquartered at East Midlands Airport, operating primarily from its hangar and maintenance facility, and its capabilities include airborne survey, aerial surveillance, aerial dispersant services and aircraft charter. 

ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric engines use hydrogen in fuel cells to generate electricity to power electric motors that turn propulsors, with the only byproduct being water. Analysis suggests that switching to fuel cell propulsion can provide an overall climate impact reduction in the region of 90%.¹ Further, hydrogen-electric propulsion can reduce overall operating costs for carriers due to the lower requirement for maintenance and lower fuel costs in the scaled operations.  

[Everett, WA: March 27, 2025] — ZeroAvia today announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with FlightSafety International to develop training resources for pilots and maintenance technicians to support adoption of hydrogen-electric propulsion technologies.  

The two partners aim to develop training resources, such as flight simulators and digital learning platforms, that will prepare the aviation industry for the entry of fuel cell electric aircraft, enabling faster market adoption once the aircraft receives certification.   

The two companies, in dialogue with regulators, will also explore future governance of training for new, clean alternative propulsion technologies.  

Through the flight testing of its 19-seat testbed, ZeroAvia has garnered unique experience in both pilot operations and integration as well as maintenance related to hydrogen-electric aircraft engines. In addition, through its work with more than a dozen airports on planning their future hydrogen usage, and via the in-house development of its own smart hydrogen production and mobile storage and dispensing refueling vehicles, ZeroAvia has a strong body of knowledge around airport ground operations relating to hydrogen.      

FlightSafety International has created and delivered safety-focused aviation training for nearly 75 years. It has worked with virtually every business jet and engine manufacturer to prepare pilots and maintenance technicians for every flight scenario, elevating the safety of the entire industry. 

ZeroAvia recently announced it has received an FAA G-1 issue paper for its 600kW electric propulsion system, and targets the full ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain for entry-in-service within the next two years, before scaling to a multi-megawatt powertrain for large regional aircraft. The company has accrued over 2,000 engine pre-orders from major commercial airlines, including American, United and Alaska Airlines, with American committing to a conditional purchase order in July last year.  

[Everett, WA and Kemble, UK, 26th March 2025] — ZeroAvia today announced that it has been named to both TIME Magazine’s Top Greentech Companies in America and TIME Magazine’s Top Greentech Companies in the World. 

ZeroAvia was ranked the number one greentech company in America by TIME in 2024, and ranks in the top 50 again this year, while ranking 81st in the world list.  

The analysis by TIME, in partnership with data firm  Statista, considered the positive impact, financial strength, and innovation of more than 8,000 companies developing products, services, or technologies to reverse the impact of human activities on the planet. The 250 top companies hail from over 30 countries on six continents. 

ZeroAvia is working closely with regulators on the certification of its ZA600 hydrogen-electric engine for up to 20 seat aircraft and developing a second engine for 40-80 seat regional aircraft. The company has over 2,000 provisional engine orders in place, with operators including American Airlines converting these to firm orders. In addition, last year ZeroAvia launched a component offering to other cleansheet innovators based on its core technologies, recently confirming a first sale of its 600kW electric propulsion system to California-based Jetcruzer.  

Over the past year, ZeroAvia has continued to accumulate significant intellectual property from its R&D activity and was named the winner of the US Patent and Trademark Office’s Patents for Humanity Green Energy Award for hydrogen. In-house development in pursuit of its full hydrogen-electric powertrains has led to step-change technologies in hydrogen fuel cell power generation, power electronics and electric motor design for aerospace.  

[Everett, WA – March 25th, 2025] – ZeroAvia today announced it has been selected by AFWERX for a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to conduct a feasibility study focused on integrating hydrogen propulsion into Cessna Caravan aircraft alongside advanced aircraft automation technology. AFWERX awards aim to address research questions with specific implications for the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF).  

ZeroAvia will analyze the potential for developing and delivering an 8,000 lb autonomous aircraft with hydrogen-electric propulsion for reduced engine noise and low thermal signature, thus significantly reducing detectability. Hydrogen fuel cells are a promising technology for improving the range, duration and turnaround time of a range of electric Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV).  

Hydrogen has additional advantages as an aviation fuel as it can be produced at point of refueling given ready supply of electricity and water, which dramatically simplifies fuel logistics – a critical consideration for any defense applications. Finally, hydrogen has the highest energy per unit of weight of any chemical energy source, which allows for potential maximum range of over 2,000 nm (almost 4,000 km) in an autonomous aircraft of this type.  

Reliable Robotics – the California-based specialists in remote operation of aircraft – will support ZeroAvia in exploring relevant autonomous flight systems as part of the study. 

The DAF began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018 which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded and ZeroAvia has started its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America. The study will explore the integration potential and operational impacts of strategically important technologies in the shape of autonomy and fuel cells.  

ZeroAvia is advancing certification of a 600kW hydrogen-electric powertrain – ZA600, which uses fuel cells to convert hydrogen fuel into electricity to power electric motors – with civil regulators. The planned first airframe is the Cessna Caravan, manufactured by Textron. The company recently announced a significant regulatory milestone after receiving an FAA G-1 issue paper for its 600kW electric propulsion system.  

[Everett, WA: 20th March 2025] — ZeroAvia has appointed former Federal Aviation Administrator Billy Nolen as a Senior Strategy & Regulatory Advisor to the company. A vastly experienced safety expert, airline executive and pilot, Nolen will work with ZeroAvia’s team to expedite the push towards certification of both its 600kW electric propulsion system and its full hydrogen-electric powertrains.

ZeroAvia recently announced a significant regulatory milestone after receiving an FAA G-1 issue paper for its 600kW electric propulsion system. The company is also working to certify its first full hydrogen-electric powertrain – ZA600 – with the UK CAA.

Nolen spent more than a quarter of a century with American Airlines, including as a pilot operating narrowbody and wide-body aircraft. His career as a pilot was followed by roles focused on safety with American, Qantas and Westjet, before he joined the FAA, first as associate administrator for safety, before quickly taking on the role of acting administrator.  

Since departing his role at the FAA in June 2023, Nolen has served as Archer Aviation’s Chief Regulatory Affairs Officer and will continue in this role, splitting his time between both of the two innovative aerospace scale-ups.   

[Everett, WA & Kemble, UK: 11th March 2025] — ZeroAvia today announced that its SuperStack Flex highly-customizable LTPEM fuel cell architecture has achieved over 1.0kW/kg specific net power at a full system level, including thermal management system, and has been successfully demonstrated in a 150kW net power configuration for a major customer.  

The industry leading testing results have been made possible thanks to ZeroAvia’s innovative use of additive manufacturing techniques and will expand UAV / VTOL capabilities of the systems, as well as opening new applications in aerospace and other sectors.  

Using selective laser sintering (SLS) powder-bed additive manufacturing processes, ZeroAvia has been able to perform high velocity cycles of design, build and test, and quickly combine typical parts or their functions into new monolithic structures. The key parts in the SuperStack Flex’s balance of plant – Anode, Cathode and Coolant Manifolds, thermal management, humidification and air compression systems – have been reduced from over 200 parts to less than 100, with ~50% weight and volume reductions. Fewer parts mean lighter, more compact, more reliable and less costly systems.   

The ZeroAvia SuperStack Flex is a modular fuel cell power generation platform that can be scaled up or down between 100kW and 600kW net total continuous power applications. The lightweight, aviation optimized balance-of-plant, has been developed as a best-fit approach for many Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) with further potential applicability across aerospace and in marine and ground vehicles.  

As well as its flexibility for different power requirements, the SuperStack Flex design enables separation of the core systems, meaning it can be highly versatile and efficient to integrate into different airframes, overcoming space constraints.  

The flexibility of the SuperStack Flex system enables customers to incorporate the technology and accelerate their R&D on fuel cell powered platforms. ZeroAvia’s focus on certification of its fuel cell engines and its traction with the CAA and FAA, provides confidence to customers working towards regulatory approval of their platforms. 

[Everett, WA: 18th February 2025] — ZeroAvia today announced that it agreed a deal for the first sale of its 600kW electric propulsion system (EPS) to Jetcruzer International for electric flight testing to hone the design of its Jetcruzer 500E. Delivery of the development unit EPS is expected this spring.  

ZeroAvia has secured well in excess of 2,000 pre-orders for its full hydrogen-electric powertrains from commercial airlines and last year the company launched  a component offering to serve the market for novel electric air transport applications.  

ZeroAvia’s 600kW EPS has just received an FAA G-1 issue paper outlining the basis of certification. The system comprises the company’s proprietary inverter and electric motor technology to deliver a highly efficient electric engine with exceptional fault tolerance and specific power. The 600kW EPS system comprises four ZeroAvia 200kW continuous power bidirectional inverters converting DC power to AC to supply ZeroAvia’s direct drive motor, capable of 2,200 rpm.  

ZeroAvia has opened a 136k sq ft Propulsion Center of Excellence in Everett, WA to produce the electric propulsion systems for its own full hydrogen-electric powertrains and for aircraft OEMs like Jetcruzer.  

Jetcruzer International is developing the Jetcruzer 500E, a six-seat hydrogen-electric aircraft, with an entry-into-service target of 2028, followed by the 1250E in 2030. ZeroAvia’s EPS system will be integrated into flight testing using a redesigned and rebuilt Jetcruzer 500 as a testbed for the new electric aircraft. Originally conceived in the 1990s as a cost-effective air transport solution, the Jetcruzer 500 achieved significant FAA certification milestones but never reached production. Jetcruzer International acquired the intellectual property in 2017 and has since been dedicated to advancing a new era of sustainable aviation. 

The Jetcruzer 500E is set to become one of the first aircraft with a type certificate to successfully fly with an all-electric propulsion system. This collaboration with ZeroAvia underscores Jetcruzer International’s dedication to innovation and environmental responsibility. 

[Kemble, UK: February 4th, 2025] — ZeroAvia today announced that it has been invited to join the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s extended and expanded Hydrogen Challenge programme.  

Working with the CAA, ZeroAvia will explore the necessary safety and regulatory requirements for commercial adoption of hydrogen as it looks towards the certification of its ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain for up to 20 seat aircraft. This work with the regulator includes exploring safe hydrogen fuel storage, distribution and refuelling practices at airfields and on aircraft. It complements ZeroAvia’s efforts to certify its first full hydrogen-electric engine – the ZA600 designed for up to 20 seat planes – with the CAA.  

ZeroAvia’s participation in the first round of the Sandbox Challenge included investigating the development, design & testing of the ZA600, and furthering the operational understanding and safety requirements of hydrogen in aviation.  

The next stage of the Hydrogen Challenge will see the development of new designs of cutting-edge aircraft that use hydrogen fuel cell power systems and remotely piloted systems to drive down carbon emissions. It will also examine changes to airport infrastructure, include new scientific research by some of Britain’s leading aeronautical institutes, and support flight trials, safety assessments, and demos.  

[Everett, WA: February 3rd, 2025] — ZeroAvia today announced that it has reached consensus on the Certification Basis relating to its 600kW electric propulsion system (EPS) with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), having received a G-1 Issue Paper (stage 2) and formally confirmed agreement with its contents. 

The G-1 represents a key milestone on the journey towards final certification of the company’s EPS with the U.S. regulator, and also on its path to certifying its first full hydrogen-electric powertrain (of which the EPS is a core system) with the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The issue paper designates the applicable airworthiness regulations specific for ZeroAvia’s EPS, allowing the company to validate its design requirements.  

ZeroAvia’s 600kW EPS combines the company’s proprietary inverter and electric motor technology to deliver a highly efficient electric engine with exceptional fault tolerance and specific power. The 600kW EPS system comprises four ZeroAvia 200kW continuous power bidirectional inverters converting DC power to AC to supply ZeroAvia’s direct drive motor, capable of 2,200 rpm. Potential applications for the 600kW EPS include battery, hybrid and fuel cell electric fixed-wing aircraft, rotorcraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.  

The 600kW system was designed as part of ZeroAvia’s wider ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain, designed for up to 20 seat commercial aircraft. By advancing the aerospace applicability and performance of power electronics and electric motors, the company is progressing discussions to supply the electric propulsion system separately to other clean aviation innovators. Last year ZeroAvia opened a 136k sq ft Propulsion Center of Excellence in Everett, WA to produce these electric propulsion systems.   

The electric propulsion system is one part of the company’s deep portfolio of fuel cell, power electronics and electric motor technology developed thanks to a strong commitment to vertical integration, and ZeroAvia launched a component offering to serve the market for novel electric air transport applications in May 2024. 

[Everett, WA; January 15, 2025] — ZeroAvia, a leader in developing zero-emission propulsion for aviation, has been named on Cleantech Groups 2025 Global Cleantech 100. This annual list, now in its 16th year, showcases the most promising private cleantech companies making significant contributions to sustainable innovation.

The complimentary report will introduce you to the innovators advancing groundbreaking technologies and business models to enable us to act on the ever-increasing climate and environmental crisis.

The cleantech theme is poised for pivotal milestones in 2025 as market forces intensify and innovation accelerates. Continuing trends from 2024, including policy uncertainty, groundbreaking first-of-a-kind (FOAK) projects, and the surging demand for climate adaptation technologies, will emphasize the importance of product and project economics.

Companies that capitalize on organic demand—such as the growing needs of data centers—and prove their technologies in real-world environments without relying on favorable policy support, will find themselves in the best position to succeed. Economic viability will be the defining metric of success in 2025.

[Everett, WA, USA: December, 3rd 2024] — ZeroAvia today announced that it has been selected as a winner of the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) Patents for Humanity Green Energy Program 2024, and the only winner in the Hydrogen category. The award recognizes innovations that address climate change through game-changing green energy technologies that are the subject of or pending a U.S utility patent.  

ZeroAvia was recognized for the totality of its patent applications covering key inventions that unlock hydrogen and electric propulsion for aircraft, enabling the use of green hydrogen as a fuel for truly clean commercial aviation. Patents include an invention that enables more efficient cooling of fuel cells without increasing drag – a longstanding challenge to their practical use to power aircraft – and an invention of novel coatings which enable high temperature PEM fuel cells that promise much higher power density. 

ZeroAvia is advancing technologies that can produce, store and use clean hydrogen efficiently, with the potential to reduce aviation greenhouse gas emissions by more than 90 percent. The company has filed 217 patent applications to date, with 31 already granted.

In addition to the impact on emissions, the development of these patents into commercially-applied technologies will lead to improved energy security, reduced air travel costs to help combat inflation, better customer and community experience thanks to cleaner air and lower noise, and the creation of thousands of skilled manufacturing jobs.

ZeroAvia has already extensively tested a prototype of its first 600kW hydrogen-electric powertrain, the ZA600, with the zero-emission engine now in the certification process with regulators. The intellectual property accrued by ZeroAvia as part of its full powertrain development has also created valuable hydrogen and electric propulsion component product lines which the company is now offering to other clean aviation innovators.    

The company has also performed advanced ground tests in the US and UK for the key building block technologies for the ZA2000 system, a 2-MW system, including cryogenic tanks for liquid hydrogen storage and proprietary high-temperature PEM fuel cell and advanced electric propulsion systems. The ZA2000 will support up to 80 seat regional turboprop aircraft such as the ATR72 or the Dash 8 400.   

[Kemble, UK and Everett, WA, USA: October 30, 2024] — Today, TIME revealed its annual list of the Best Inventions, which features 200 extraordinary innovations changing our lives. TIME selected ZeroAvia’s ZA600 hydrogen-electric aircraft powertrain to feature in this year’s list. 

ZeroAvia’s ZA600 is a 600 kW hydrogen-electric powertrain to propel 10-20 seat aircraft with water vapor as the only emission. The ZA600 uses fuel cells to transform hydrogen fuel into electricity, which then powers a motor that turns the aircraft‘s propellers. It is not a “net” zero-carbon solution, but instead is capable of delivering true zero-emission flight.

Additionally, the ZA600 allows the scalability needed to unlock regional aircraft (40-80 passenger) and, eventually, the larger jets responsible for the majority of aviation’s climate-warming emissions. 

To compile this year’s list, TIME solicited nominations from editors and correspondents around the world paying special attention to growing fields—such as health care, AI, and green energy. TIME then evaluated each contender on a number of key factors, including originality, efficacy, ambition, and impact. 

[Kemble, UK and Everett, WA, USA: October 29, 2024] — ZeroAvia today announced that it has signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with PowerCell Group to collaborate on next generation fuel cell technologies. Joint R&D will focus on intermediate and high temperature fuel cells which will open up more energy intensive applications such as large fixed-wing aircraft and rotorcraft.

The two companies have been working together for the last few years, with PowerCell fuel cell stacks forming part of the prototype ZeroAvia powertrains that have powered both of the breakthrough fuel cell flight demonstrators flown by ZeroAvia.

ZeroAvia is designing a bespoke multi-stack balance-of-plant architecture using PowerCell’s low temperature proton exchange membrane (LT-PEM) stacks applicable to aviation applications. As such, the Swedish fuel cell manufacturer is a key supplier for ZeroAvia’s first 600kW powertrain (ZA600) designed for up to 20 seat aircraft.

ZeroAvia’s high temperature PEM fuel cell (HT-PEM) stacks – part of the roadmap to delivery of ZA2000 powertrain for 40-80 seat aircraft and a key part of the company’s component offering to other clean flight innovators – are already demonstrating industry record power density in excess of 2.5 kW/kg at the cell level, with a clear pathway to reaching 3+ kW/kg at the system level in the coming months.

Increasing the operating temperature of fuel cell systems can allow for a reduction in cooling and humidification required, simplifying the architecture and improving the amount of power for a given unit of weight.   

The collaboration will leverage PowerCell’s long experience industrializing hydrogen-electric technologies to push advanced fuel cells solutions to high TRL levels. For ZeroAvia, it will provide the opportunity to exploit its technology in different sectors, while retaining its core focus on aerospace.

[Kemble, UK and Everett, WA: October 10th 2024] – ZeroAvia today announced that its HyFlyer II project has been chosen as Project of the Year 2024 by the UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI). The award celebrates projects funded through the ATI programme that have reached a significant milestone or concluded within the last year.  

The HyFlyer II programme, which ran from December 2020 to November 2023, has created hundreds of jobs, large inward investment and world-first breakthroughs. In Kemble, UK, January, 2023, ZeroAvia showcased the first flight of a retrofitted 19-seater twin-engine Do228 hydrogen-electric testbed.  

The flight testing and system development as part of HyFlyer II has been critical in designing and testing fuel cell and electrical-propulsion systems, establishing greater confidence in the potential for zero-emission flights this decade and leading to what could be the world’s first certified hydrogen-electric engine for commercial aircraft. ZeroAvia has already submitted its application to certify the ZA600, 600kW hydrogen-electric powertrain for up to 20 seat aircraft to the CAA.

The project also involved the development of novel high-temperature proton exchange membrane (HTPEM) fuel cells for aviation, exhibiting technology readiness for scaling hydrogen-electric technology for large aircraft. ZeroAvia sees HTPEM fuel cell power generation as key to developing zero-emission propulsion systems for aircraft larger than 20-seats, and the technology is integral to the company’s ZA2000 2-5.4 MW engine for 40-80 seat planes. Hydrogen-electric engines use hydrogen in fuel cells to generate electricity, which is then used to power electric motors to turn the aircraft’s propellers – the only emission is water.  

ZeroAvia’s presence in the UK continues to grow with expansion of its operations, leading testing capabilities, including back-to-back electric propulsion rigs and fuel cell test labs, flight test platforms and hydrogen production at airport as well as associated refuelling infrastructure. 

HyFlyer II has positioned ZeroAvia well to unlock the market for large regional turboprops, regional jets and, ultimately, the narrow-bodied aircraft segment, as well as supporting the growth of the UK supply chain, hydrogen economy and advancing the pathway for manufacturing. ZeroAvia has also launched a component line to support other electric aviation innovators based on the development for its full powertrains, further broadening the market for the technology. 

[Hollister, CA: September 12th 2024] — ZeroAvia today announced that it has extended its Series C financing to a total of $150m, with a £20m investment from Scottish National Investment Bank (“the Bank”) coming alongside recent investments from American Airlines, International Airlines Group (IAG) and ITOCHU Corporation.  

The round was co-led by Airbus, Barclays Sustainable Impact Capital and NEOM Investment Fund (NIF), with UK Infrastructure Bank joining as a cornerstone-level investor, and with strong support from existing shareholders including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Horizons Ventures, Ecosystem Integrity Fund, Summa Equity, Alaska Airlines, Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund and AP Ventures.  

This is the Bank’s first investment in hydrogen-based technology and the sustainable aviation sector and will bolster the burgeoning aerospace supply chain in Scotland as ZeroAvia looks to create a manufacturing facility in the country. 

ZeroAvia has already extensively flight tested a prototype of its first ZA600-engine aboard a Dornier 228 aircraft at its UK base and the application for certification is underway with the CAA. The company has also performed advanced ground tests in the US and UK for the key building block technologies for the ZA2000 system, including cryogenic tanks for LH2 and proprietary high-temperature PEM fuel cell and electric propulsion systems. ZA2000 will support up to 80 seat regional turboprop aircraft such as the ATR72 and the Dash 8 400. The company is also selling its component technology, including electric motors and fuel cell power generation systems, to other electric aviation innovators.  

[Everett, WA & Hollister, CA] — ZeroAvia today announced that it has been awarded $4.2 million in US federal funding through the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Fueling Aviation’s Sustainable Transition discretionary grant program for Low-Emission Aviation Technology (FAST Tech). The grant will support ZeroAvia’s work to further develop and validate its electric propulsion system designed for 2-5 megawatt powertrain applications.  

The research and development work will take place in ZeroAvia’s Everett, WA, propulsion center of excellence and will advance the design, fabrication, and testing of its proprietary electric motor and inverter toward eventual certification and commercial deployment. 

The work will build on ZeroAvia’s HyperCore stackable motor, previously ground-tested at the Everett facility, as well as its silicon-carbide inverters. It will complement other ZeroAvia R&D projects in the UK focused on industry-leading High Temperature PEM (HTPEM) fuel cells to unlock hydrogen-electric engines for 40-80 seat aircraft.  

[@Farnborough Airshow: July 26th, 2024] –  Ecojet, the world’s first electric, commercial airline, has signed an agreement to purchase 22 ZA2000 hydrogen-electric engines from the zero emissions innovator ZeroAvia, with options for a further 40 engines. The order takes the world a step closer towards a revolution in aviation with carbon free flights. The ZA2000 engine can be retrofitted into 40-80 seat regional turboprops for zero-emission flight.  

The agreement deepens the commitment announced last November 2023, with a deposit schedule that will ensure Ecojet secures some of the first production slots of ZeroAvia ZA2000 powertrains post certification. 

Ecojet based in Edinburgh is aiming to be the industry’s first fully electric commercial carrier enabling carbon-free living. The airline is aiming to launch services in late 2024 with conventionally powered aircraft, operating routes to and from Edinburgh and retrofitting them once the technology is certified. 

The airline will begin this journey by operating its first zero-emission aircraft with ZeroAvia’s ZA600 engines for up to 20 seat planes. Ecojet’s aim is to build a fleet of larger regional aircraft to serve passengers on key domestic and shorter international routes. 

The innovative hydrogen-electric engines work by using hydrogen to generate electricity which then powers propellers to fly the aircraft. 

[Farnborough International Airshow, July 24, 2024] – ZeroAvia and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines today announced that they will work towards a demonstration flight using ZeroAvia’s ZA2000 zero-emission, hydrogen-electric engines for large regional turboprop.  

Hydrogen-electric engines use hydrogen in fuel cells to generate electricity, which is then used to power electric motors to turn the aircraft’s propellers. The only emission is low-temperature water vapor, with studies therefore estimating an up to 90% reduction in climate impact when compared with typical kerosene-fueled flights.[1]   

As a first major target milestone, the companies aim to conduct an initial A-to-B flight demonstration between two airport locations in 2026. As well as identifying the optimal airport pair, immediate workstreams will be working towards regulatory permits to fly and ensuring supply of liquid hydrogen fuel and putting in place the supporting infrastructure for aircraft fueling.   

With this collaboration, KLM and ZeroAvia are providing the evidence-base for adoption of cleaner flight on KLM’s network. Furthermore, the demonstration project will accelerate the development of concepts of operations for hydrogen aircraft across the EU.  

KLM aims to be a more sustainable airline. Supporting advanced technologies such as hydrogen and electric aviation is one of three pillars to help the aviation sector decarbonise. The maintenance divisions of KLM and Air France have already been working with ZeroAvia to build the knowledgebase for effective MRO operations for hydrogen fuel cell planes.   

@Farnborough Airshow — ZeroAvia today announced that it has been awarded £10.5 million in UK Government funding through the ATI strategic programme, to further develop its high temperature fuel cell technology, a promising pathway for delivering zero-emission propulsion systems up to and including narrowbody jets.  

The Advanced Fuel Cell for Aviation Decarbonisation (AFCAD) project will see ZeroAvia collaborate with the University of Kent, Coventry University and the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, to advance this crucial technology towards commercialisation. The research will centre on developing components and the full HTPEM stacks and demonstrating previously unmatched levels of specific power and durability.  

AFCAD builds on ZeroAvia’s highly successful HyFlyer I and II ATI projects which delivered breakthrough first flights of hydrogen-electric aircraft and were transformative in establishing greater confidence in the potential for commercial, zero-emission flights this decade.  

During HyFlyer II, ZeroAvia also demonstrated the largest HTPEM stack module for aviation, showing technology readiness for scaling fuel cells into large commercial aircraft. AFCAD will further develop this technology to unlock the market for large regional turboprops, regional jets and, ultimately, narrowbody aircraft, as well as developing the supporting UK supply chain and advancing the pathway for manufacturing. 

ZeroAvia sees HTPEM fuel cell power generation as key to developing zero-emission propulsion systems for aircraft larger than 20-seats, and the technology is integral to the company’s ZA2000 2-5.4 MW engine for 40-80 seat planes.