ZeroAvia was awarded a combined total of £1.2 million ($1.7 million) by the UK government through its Future Flight Challenge initiative to incentivize innovation to reduce emissions in flying.
ZeroAvia, a global leader in sustainable energy solutions for the aviation industry, has developed hydrogen-electric powertrain technology for the short-haul flight market and smaller aircraft. The company is striving to bring hydrogen and electric fuel solutions and electric-powered aircraft to the market by 2023, namely aircraft that can seat more passengers and travel farther distances. The awarded grants are dedicated to research and development, and ground testing, of the HyFlyer aircraft series.
The airline industry seeks innovative solutions to reduce operating costs and increase consumer confidence in its environmental stewardship, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and ZeroAvia is poised to benefit from this development.
The grant funding awarded to ZeroAvia is through two different programs established by the UK government: Project HEART and Project SATE.
Project HEART
Project HEART (Hydrogen-Electric and Automated Regional Transportation) is a £3.7 million consortium to develop a next-generation, zero-emission, integrated propulsion module to help airlines achieve the UK government’s commitment to reach zero carbon in air travel by 2050.
One of the program’s chief purposes is to coordinate with the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) to develop skills among aviation and technology workers in the UK and ready them for the advanced air mobility sector, which necessitates learning how to build and operate electrified propulsion technology. Project HEART is supported by the ATI, which is funded by Innovate UK.
In addition to providing skills training, the program’s goal is to develop a power-dense, fuel-efficient, and quiet propulsion module within 24 months upon launching in January 2021. ZeroAvia is specifically developing systems for both airports and aircraft to pivot to green-hydrogen infrastructure, determine flight capabilities of Loganair routes, and establish maintenance procedures for hydrogen-electric aircraft.
Project SATE
Project SATE (Sustainable Aviation Test Environment) is a £3.7 million program aiming to create the first operationally-based, low-carbon aviation testing center in the UK. The facility will be located at Kirkwall Airport in the Orkney Islands, and this initiative is being led by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL).
As part of the government’s Future Flight Challenge to pivot to zero-emissions air travel, Project SATE will run for 18 months. It will test different types of low-carbon aircraft to determine which ones should herald the next generation of aircraft carriers. Project SATE is also studying how to improve operations management in airports to best usher in this new era of sustainable aviation.
HIAL’s objective is to bring together a consortium of local businesses, academia, the government, and the aviation industry to discuss new transportation options that can gradually replace fossil fuels and spur local job creation, as well as achieve Orkney’s net zero goals.
ZeroAvia will conduct flight testing at the new facility at the Kirkwall airport and contribute its findings to the consortium.
Future Grant Funding for HyFlyer II Capable of Seating 19 Passengers
In addition to the grant funding from Project HEART and Project SATE, ZeroAvia also received £12.3 million ($17 million USD) in grant funding from the UK government for the HyFlyer II project. In 2020, HyFlyer I completed the world’s first hydrogen-electric powered flight using a 6-seat plane, out of ZeroAvia’s R&D facility in Cranfield, England.
HyFlyer II will utilize ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric powertrain technology to power a larger aircraft that can carry up to 19 passengers.
The UK government has been supportive of ZeroAvia’s endeavors as well as the innovation across the short-haul air travel market, paving the way for a promising future for sustainable options to revitalize the pandemic-ravaged travel industry. Gary Cutts, the director of the Future Flight Challenge project, has stated:
“At this challenging time for the international aviation industry, it is a great testament to the UK’s drive and ambition that we had such a strong response to the first funded Future Flight competition. The breadth, quality and creativity of the bids has been exceptional and the economic and social benefits offered are significant.”
About ZeroAvia
ZeroAvia is a global leader in hydrogen-electric aviation. The company is innovating new ways for aircraft to become more efficient and environmentally friendly. It’s also reducing operating costs by the power of its proprietary hydrogen-electric powertrain technology that is electrifying smaller aircraft and becoming more feasible for larger aircraft. With operations in the United States and United Kingdom, ZeroAvia has secured experimental certificates for its prototype aircraft from both the CAA and FAA, surpassed major milestones with its flight tests, and is on track for commercialization by 2024. The company is supported by Horizon Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, and its UK operations are supported by Innovate UK, the Aerospace Technology Institute. ZeroAvia is also part of the UK Government’s Jet Zero Council.