Advancing Hybrid-Electric Aviation with Hydrogen: Diamond Aircraft's Innovative Project
Key Ideas
- Diamond Aircraft, in collaboration with various research bodies, is leading a project funded by the Austrian government to explore the use of gaseous hydrogen in hybrid powertrains for general aviation until the end of 2025.
- The project involves the manufacturing and testing of the Hydrogen-based Twin-engine Electrification and Digitization Testbed (H2EDT) aircraft at Diamond Aircraft's facilities in Wiener Neustadt, focusing on a VTOL platform with up to ten motors.
- The unique features of the H2EDT test aircraft include a digital power system, parallel hybrid architecture, and the aim of setting guidelines for a full-scale General Aviation platform powered by hydrogen in the future.
- Funding for the project comes from the Austrian research funding Take Off program, managed by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), showcasing a significant investment in advancing hydrogen technology in aviation.
Diamond Aircraft is leading a groundbreaking project in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, to explore the potential of gaseous hydrogen as a fuel source for hybrid powertrains in general aviation. This project, funded by the Austrian government, is set to run until the end of 2025. The focus is on manufacturing and testing the Hydrogen-based Twin-engine Electrification and Digitization Testbed (H2EDT) aircraft, which will feature a VTOL platform with up to ten motors, hydrogen fuel cell, and a unique digital power system developed in collaboration with research partners. The consortium aims to present insights from the project in the first half of 2026 and define guidelines for future hydrogen-powered aircraft certification. Notably, the project receives funding from the Austrian research funding Take Off program, managed by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), highlighting a significant commitment to innovation in aviation. This initiative signals a positive step towards the advancement of hydrogen technology in aviation, potentially shaping the future of hybrid-electric aircraft design and certification.