H3 Dynamics’ hydrogen-electric nacelle makes its first flight

The future of hydrogen aviation, powered by H3 Dynamics’ distributed hydrogen nacelles, flew for the first time in France.

After announcing its hydrogen aviation concept in 2018, H3 Dynamics became a topic at the Oval Office the next day, beginning a global movement.

H3 Dynamics finished their hydrogen-powered prototype nacelle in November 2021. In July 2022, a scaled-down aircraft launched the first dispersed pod system near Paris. French CAA approved the hydrogen flight (DGAC).

H3 Dynamics’ autonomous nacelle concept tackles technical, safety, and financial issues. Hydrogen and smaller fuel cells are placed in nacelles under the wings. A 2022 study projects the global nacelle propulsion market would reach $7 billion by 2030 and highlighted H3 Dynamics’ hydrogen solution as an opportunity.

H3 Dynamics’ 25kg test aircraft has a range of 900 km on liquid hydrogen and 350 km on pressurized hydrogen. No hydrogen or propulsion elements inside the nacelle free up 30 liters of hull space. H3 Dynamics’ hydrogen nacelles could be retrofitted to battery-powered eVTOL or freight drones.

H3 Dynamics began working on airspace safety with world-leading air traffic control firms in preparation for long-duration hydrogen unmanned flights. It deploys high-volume corporate data services in smart cities like Singapore, tying them to drone-agnostic charging stations.

Next steps

She’s researching liquid hydrogen integration for a 2019 project with ISAE-SUPAERO in Toulouse. In two years, hydrogen-electric propulsion will traverse the Atlantic.

Because of the airport experiments, H3 Dynamics is working on a next-generation platform with 6 independent hydrogen-electric nacelles. The fast-refueling aircraft will test H3 Dynamics’ hydrogen-electric propulsion system.