A partnership agreement has been reached by Airbus and the student team AeroDelft. In accordance with this arrangement, Airbus will collaborate with AeroDelft on Project Phoenix, assisting the group’s scholarly investigation into hydrogen-powered aviation.
More than 50 college students make up the interdisciplinary AeroDelft team, which is situated in Delft, the Netherlands. The team’s goal is to demonstrate and advocate for liquid hydrogen as an aviation fuel substitute for traditional fuels. They began the aforementioned Project Phoenix to carry out this task, building and producing two aircraft fuelled by liquid hydrogen.
The Phoenix Prototype, an autonomous drone that is expected to launch in 2023, will be the largest unmanned aircraft ever to fly electrically on liquid hydrogen. By creating the first piloted liquid hydrogen-powered aircraft, the Phoenix Full Scale goes a step farther. First gaseous and liquid hydrogen flights for the manned aircraft are planned for 2024 and 2025, respectively.
This collaboration strengthens Airbus’ dedication to a net-zero aviation industry and enthusiasm for aircraft driven by liquid hydrogen fuel cells. With its well-established ZEROe program, Airbus has long been a pioneer in the hydrogen aviation movement. Key knowledge transfer between industry and students is ensured by working with the student team. They intend to start working together in important areas of multiple subsystems in the upcoming months to hasten the aviation industry’s overall transition to a zero-emission future.
