On June 24, the firm’s “first-of-its-kind” hydrogen-electric, vertical takeoff and landing (hVTOL) demonstrator completed a 532 sm (462 nm) flight—about the distance between San Francisco and San Diego—above Marina, California, home to the Joby’s test facility and pilot production line. The aircraft landed with more than 10 percent of its hydrogen fuel remaining, with water the only byproduct of the flight.

Joby believes the test, which included a vertical take off and landing, represented the first forward flight for a liquid hydrogen-powered eVTOL aircraft. The company said hydrogen is a key piece of its future plans.

“We’re excited to now be building a technology stack that could redefine regional travel using hydrogen-electric aircraft,” said JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby. “Imagine being able to fly from San Francisco to San Diego, Boston to Baltimore, or Nashville to New Orleans, without the need to go to an airport and with no emissions except water. That world is closer than ever.”

The development signals a shift in Joby’s stated business philosophy, which before Thursday was centered around flying urban air mobility (UAM) routes within cities.

In a blog post penned by Bevirt and Raffaele Russo, business manager for new technologies at Joby, the company’s top brass said regional air mobility (RAM) is also on the agenda. The firm has alluded to a regional service before, but Thursday’s developments appear to confirm that one is in the works.

“Although the specific energy of batteries is improving, their weight will continue to limit the application of electric aircraft to short-distance travel,” the blog post reads. “To serve regional markets, we plan to use hydrogen to increase the potential range and payload of electric aircraft.”

Joby’s hydrogen-electric program builds on the technology developed by its subsidiary H2FLY, acquired in secret in 2021.

The manufacturer built the hydrogen-electric demonstrator by modifying one of its battery-electric aircraft, which has already flown more than 25,000 miles, with a hydrogen fuel tank capable of storing up to 40 kilograms of liquid, supercooled hydrogen. It includes a smaller battery cell, which provides extra power during takeoff and landing.

The design employs the same airframe and overall architecture as its battery-electric counterpart. It will use the same takeoff and landing sites and operations team, as well as ElevateOS—a proprietary, Uber-like software suite unveiled in June.

ElevateOS comprises a pilot app, rider app, operations suite, and matching system that connects riders with aircraft based on departure time, arrival time, and location. It includes an integration with the Uber app, allowing Uber customers to book Joby flights and vice versa.

The hydrogen-powered model also includes the H2F-175 hydrogen fuel cell, built by H2FLY, which produces electricity and heat with water as the sole byproduct. The fuel cell powers the aircraft’s six electric motors, which feed into tilting propellers that assist in both hover and forward flight, and charges the batteries while they are deactivated in cruise mode.

The technology was deployed about one year ago during a milestone H2FLY flight, which Joby claims was the first crewed flight of a hydrogen-electric aircraft with a runway takeoff.

According to Joby’s estimate, the hydrogen-electric model will have a greater payload than a battery-electric design or an aircraft using an equivalent amount of jet fuel.

Bevirt is also bullish on hydrogen production, pointing to the U.S. Department of Energy’s $7 billion investment in clean “hydrogen hubs.” He noted that hydrogen can be produced using a variety of low- or zero-emission sources such as wind or water power, which could help the aviation industry meet commitments to eliminate emissions by 2050.

“We recognize that broadly commercializing hydrogen will require doing the hard miles on regulation and infrastructure, along with fuel storage and distribution, but we have demonstrated that regional hydrogen-electric flight is possible today,” Bevirt and Russo wrote in Thursday’s blog post.

Bevirt said the bulk of the work Joby has done to certify its flagship, battery-electric air taxi will carry over to commercializing a hydrogen-electric variant. The company’s hydrogen-electric activities are supported by Agility Prime, the vertical lift technology division of the U.S. Air Force innovation arm, AFWERX.

“Agility Prime has been very supportive of hydrogen-powered aircraft development and testing as it aligns with the program’s goals to advance transformative vertical lift technologies and broader Department of Defense operational energy goals of energy substitution and diversification, and energy demand reduction,” said Jacob Wilson, acting branch chief of Agility Prime.

Joby is also collaborating with AFWERX’s Autonomy Prime division, which, as the name implies, develops self-flying aircraft.

The company in June acquired autonomous flight company Xwing for an undisclosed fee and intends to build a self-flying version of its flagship air taxi in the future, using Xwing’s Superpilot software. U.S. competitor Wisk Aero and Chinese eVTOL manufacturer EHang are among the handful of firms looking to fly autonomous air taxis at launch.

Joby aims to launch commercial operations with its flagship battery-electric air taxi in 2025, in partnership with Delta Air Lines. New York and Los Angeles are slated as the company’s first U.S. markets.

The aircraft is designed for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers on trips up to 100 sm (87 nm), cruising at 200 mph (174 knots). In the U.S., Joby will operate the model itself.

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The post Joby Eyes Regional Service With Liquid Hydrogen-Powered Air Taxi appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Joby subsidiary H2Fly on Thursday revealed it completed piloted flights of its four-seater HY4 demonstrator powered by liquid hydrogen, a milestone it says is the world’s first. The company made four takeoffs from an airfield in Maribor, Slovenia, using cryogenically stored liquid hydrogen to power a hydrogen-electric fuel cell system, which kept the aircraft in the sky for over three hours on one occasion.

Prior to this week’s tests, H2Fly had only flown with pressurized gaseous hydrogen. It said switching to the liquid form of the fuel source will double the HY4’s range from about 405 to 810 nm, a promising sign for a company that hopes to supply hydrogen-electric powertrains for zero-emissions medium- and long-haul commercial flights.

JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, has repeatedly touted the benefits of hydrogen, hinting at the company’s desire to explore it as a fuel source. The company has no stated plans to integrate hydrogen fuel cells on its air taxi, but Bevirt gave its subsidiary some praise.

“H2Fly are pioneers in their field, and we’re proud of them achieving this watershed moment in the use of liquid hydrogen to power aircraft,” he said in a statement. “In the years to come, battery-electric and hydrogen-electric propulsion systems will enable us to build aircraft that are quieter and make mid- to long-range air travel possible with zero emissions. It’s critical we take action now and invest aggressively in these technologies for the health of our planet and future generations to come.”

The flight test campaign marked the culmination of Project HEAVEN, a European government-backed consortium created to explore the use of cryogenic liquid hydrogen in aircraft. H2Fly led the project, which also included partner Air Liquide, Pipistrel Vertical Solutions, and the German Aerospace Center. The tests were also funded by a pair of German federal ministries and the University of Ulm.

“This achievement marks a watershed moment in the use of hydrogen to power aircraft,” said Professor Josef Kallo, co-founder of H2Fly. “Together with our partners, we have demonstrated the viability of liquid hydrogen to support medium and long-range emissions-free flight. We are now looking ahead to scaling up our technology for regional aircraft and other applications, beginning the critical mission of decarbonizing commercial aviation.”

Compared to the pressurized gaseous hydrogen H2Fly used prior to these flights, the cryogenically stored liquid form has a higher energy density, enabling a lower tank weight and volume. That boosts the range and payload of the aircraft. Hydrogen fuel cells also produce electricity without combustion or emission and do not need to be recharged so long as they’re fed a supply of hydrogen and oxygen.

“Today’s success demonstrates the full potential of liquid hydrogen for aviation,” said Pierre Crespi, innovation director at Air Liquide, which designed, manufactured, and integrated the liquid hydrogen tank that powered the HY4. “Liquid hydrogen can be stored onboard and transported. Hydrogen is key to the energy transition and this new step proves that it’s already becoming a reality.”

With HEAVEN flight testing complete, H2Fly says it is now focused on the path to commercialization. The company recently announced a new H2F-175 fuel cell system—capable of providing a full power range at altitudes up to 27,000 feet—which it hopes will prove there are real-world applications for the technology beyond low-altitude demonstrations.

H2Fly will also open a Hydrogen Aviation Center, co-funded by the Ministry of Transport Baden-Württemberg, at Stuttgart Airport (EDDS) next year. One day, the center may provide fuel cell aircraft integration facilities and liquid hydrogen infrastructure to large swaths of the European aviation industry.

The Promises and Pitfalls of Hydrogen

Incredibly, the HY4 made its maiden voyage over half a decade ago in 2016. In April 2022, it set what H2Fly believes to be the altitude record for a hydrogen-powered aircraft, cruising at over 7,200 feet. Around the same time, HY4 completed a cross-country flight from Stuttgart Airport to Friedrichshafen Airport (EDNY) 77 sm (67 nm) away, the first for a hydrogen-powered passenger airplane between two commercial airports.

A few months prior to this week’s piloted test, H2Fly and Air Liquide also conducted on-ground coupling tests of an aircraft-integrated liquid hydrogen storage system, which validated the Joby subsidiary’s ability to install its architecture.

Looking ahead, H2Fly hopes to add hydrogen-electric propulsion to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) CS-23 and CS-25 category aircraft. It has a partnership with Deutsche Aircraft to fly a 40-seat Dornier 328 demonstrator equipped with its fuel cell system in 2025.

But what will come of all this innovation?

H2Fly isn’t the only firm exploring hydrogen fuel systems; industry titan Airbus is also looking into applications for the technology, including a hydrogen-powered turbine engine. Another firm, ZeroAvia, is also in the mix, having recently flown the largest aircraft to be powered by a hydrogen engine, a 19-seat Dornier 228 demonstrator.

The firms have all been gripped by the allure of hydrogen, which is expected to greatly reduce emissions and help operators reach their ESG goals. It could also extend the range and payload of an aircraft, opening up new markets and use cases. But all that glitters is not gold, detractors say, poking a few holes in the hydrogen argument.

Some, like CleanTechnica’s Michael Barnard, worry the fuel source will be green but not cheap. As an example, he pointed to an effort by Air Liquide and others to establish a liquid hydrogen manufacturing facility for maritime shipping—that venture failed because of high production costs. Others point out that while hydrogen is environmentally friendly, its production often creates staggering emissions of its own, calling into question how “green” it truly is.

Liquid hydrogen in particular can also be difficult, costly, or even dangerous to transport. It requires specialized packaging to combat its high combustibility and may necessitate either an extensive logistics network or the construction of manufacturing sites near airfields. Neither option is ideal.

Further, there are some design and safety concerns around storing liquid hydrogen fuel near passengers. It needs to be kept in ball-shaped tanks that are as large as possible to prevent the liquid from boiling off, which creates challenges when designing an aircraft that also carries people.

Still, liquid hydrogen has the potential to curtail in-flight emissions (the ones that actually appear on company ESG reports) and, if the technology evolves as expected, open new business opportunities for operators. However, the industry will need to solidify the pipeline and limit hydrogen manufacturing costs and emissions before it becomes a viable alternative.

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The post Joby-Backed Firm Completes Piloted Flights of Liquid Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The California-based air taxi developer confirmed to FLYING late Wednesday it secretly acquired German hydrogen-powered aircraft developer H2Fly in 2021. The revelation was first reported by The Air Current.  

The move signals Joby’s long-term strategy may include aircraft powered by hydrogen fuel cells, in addition to air taxis with powertrains driven by lithium-ion battery arrays. 

Joby founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt has been hinting that hydrogen-electric powertrains should be part of the aviation industry’s mission to provide safe, quiet, and zero-emission air transportation. 

“In the decades to come, battery electric and hydrogen-electric propulsion systems will allow us to build aircraft that are cheaper to operate, quieter, and bring us much closer to net zero emissions,” Bevirt told the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee last March. “For the sake of the planet and future generations, it is critical that the government continue to prioritize these technologies.” 

“Battery electric is only valuable when you want to move across town or between cities that are close together,” Bevirt told Bloomberg’s Ed Ludlow from this week’s UP.Summit in Arkansas. “When we want to move around the planet, the solution is hydrogen-electric. Hydrogen is three times higher in specific energy than jet fuel.”

Is Bevirt hinting that Joby is interested in developing zero emission long-range aircraft? Joby declined further comment to FLYING regarding its H2Fly acquisition.

• READ MORE: Why Are So Many Aviation Innovators Meeting in Arkansas?

Last April, as FLYING reported, H2Fly said it set a world altitude record for a hydrogen-powered passenger aircraft when it flew its demonstrator HY4 to 7,230 feet. H2Fly’s four-seat HY4 aircraft is being used as a test platform for further development of hydrogen propulsion systems. 

The company hopes that this development will help lay a foundation for a hydrogen-electric-powered, 40-seat Dornier 328, which H2Fly says will be developed jointly with Deutsche Aircraft by 2025.

Hydrogen fuel cells produce electricity without combustion or emissions, similar to conventional batteries. However, unlike car batteries, they don’t run down or need to be recharged as long as they’re fed hydrogen and oxygen. 

• READ MORE: H2FLY Sets Hydrogen-Electric Flight World Record

Joby—which says it expects FAA certification of its battery-powered air taxi in time to enter service in 2024—may well have the financial resources to explore a new hydrogen-electric platform. Backed by Toyota (NYSE: TM) and Uber (NYSE: UBER), Joby’s on-demand airline is expected to piggyback off of Uber’s popular rideshare app.

• READ MORE: Joby Receives FAA Part 135 Certification

Joby announced last month it had received a Part 135 air carrier certificate from the FAA to start on-demand commercial air taxi operations. Pending certification of its eVTOL, Joby intends to operate with conventional fixed-wing Cirrus SR22s. 

FLYING’s Ashley Barajas contributed to this report.

The post Joby Secretly Bought a Hydrogen-Electric Aircraft Developer appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Its name speaks literally to what the project has achieved: MAHEPA (Modular Approach to Hybrid-Electric Propulsion Architecture) brought together DLR-German Aerospace Center, H2Fly GmbH, Compact Dynamics GmbH, Politecnico di Milano, TU Delft, and researchers from University of Ulm and University of Maribor under the umbrella Horizon Europe.

The goal? To address the drive towards zero emissions in transportation sectors, including regional and general aviation.

Together, the team flew two four-seat aircraft carrying the prototype power systems:

• A Pipistrel Panthera with a single fuselage, traditionally mounted propeller, and retractable gear
• A H2Fly Hy4 with a dual fuselage and center-mounted propeller and system

The MAHEPA group delivered the report at a meeting at the Maribor Edvard Rusjan Airport in Slovenia, where the consortium also had its Pipistrel Panthera demonstrator on display.

A Modular Approach

Fabrizio Gaspari, safety engineer and project coordinator from Pipistrel Vertical Solutions (and a graduate of Politecnico di Milano), reported on the success of the modular approach—developed to craft the components that will evolve to meet specific challenges in the design of initial light aircraft and as they scale up to regional transport.

The thrust of the project was to:

• Advance two variants of a low-emission, highly efficient, serial hybrid-electric propulsion architecture
• Produce in-flight demonstrations on two different aircraft to showcase the flexibility and scalability of the propulsion systems
• Perform scalability studies towards megawatt-scale hydrocarbon driven hybrids and zero-emission hydrogen powered solutions

Work involved the following systems:

• Cooling system design
• Flex fuel-cell hybrid architecture
• Emission measurement
• Estimation of market demands
• Ground infrastructure assessments

Components of the design that powered the two demonstration flights included:

• An electric drive system
• A power generation module
• A fuel-cell system
• Liquid-cooled lithium-ion batteries
• A battery management system

Adaptations to the airframe structure to carry the components

The design achieved several important targets, including a 50-percent increase in total power delivered, at a peak power rating of 300 kilowatts—and a component weight of 30.6 kg, which is 25 percent lighter than previous generations.

The liquid-cooled batteries demonstrated a peak power of 75 kW each, at a weight of 60 kg each, integrated into the wings of the Panthera. The batteries allowed for an “all-electric takeoff,” at 220 kW, enabling the flight tests in October.

What Lies Ahead

Dr. Tiné Tomažič, chief technical officer for Pipistrel, reported on the next steps for the program: the near- and true-zero-emissions aerial transport at the sub-regional level, which targets connecting existing GA airports to commercial hubs in Europe.

Using the terms “miniliner” and “microfeeder” to describe the next stage, Tomažič illustrated the current situation with a question to the audience assembled at the Slovenian airport: “How did you get here?” No one answered that they had flown into the GA airfield—precisely because of the gap in commercially viable aircraft to make it efficient and economical for the average traveler.

MAHEPA’s market studies targeted airports with a minimum runway length of 800 m (2,624 feet) and aircraft with a cruise speed of 200 ktas—enabling thousands of airports within Europe to be better utilized.

Tomažič unveiled the goal aircraft: a 19-seat passenger airplane helmed by a single pilot, with a maximum takeoff weight of 7,500 kg and range of 350 km “hops.”

The Hydrogen Solution

Dr. Josef Kallo, co-founder and CEO of H2Fly, reported on the positive outcomes of the development of a liquid hydrogen-electric power system, culminating in the successful flight test of the Hy4 aircraft.

The aircraft achieved a 110 kW maximum output this year and a 1,200-km range—and the company looks to produce a power system capable of a 300-kW output in 2023. Ground testing of a 1.5 MW power train would come two years later, in 2025.

The program has been in development for 15 years, with seven successful test campaigns under its watch.

The report-out was timed coincidentally during the COP26 Climate Summit in which 26 signatory countries are meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, through November 12—to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The post Consortium Flies Hybrid-Electric Airplane Prototypes appeared first on FLYING Magazine.