The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is preparing to roll out the second round of its ‘Hydrogen Challenge’, which will feature designs for “cutting-edge aircraft” and flight trials.
The challenge, whose first round was unveiled at the end of 2023, aims to prepare the aerospace industry for the adoption of hydrogen as a zero-carbon aviation fuel.
Tim Johnson, director of communications, strategy and policy at the CAA, said: “These trials keep the UK on course to be a world leader in hydrogen propulsion.”
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As part of the next trials, which will run for three years, new designs will be drawn up for aircraft that can use hydrogen fuel cell power systems and remotely piloted systems.
There will also be changes to airport infrastructure that could be rolled out nationwide in future, paving the way for the storage of hydrogen and refuelling.
Other developments will include new scientific research on hydrogen by some of Britain’s leading aeronautical institutes.
Flight trials, safety assessments and demos will also be arranged to “refine performance, address regulatory challenges and unlock the full potential of the technology”.
Johnson said: “We are working with some of the most innovative companies and minds to better understand this technology and how it might be introduced safely in the aerospace sector.
“In doing so, it offers the potential to enable a more sustainable aerospace system and support UK economic growth.
“The projects will create a better understanding of hydrogen technologies, shape future regulation and ensure that they are safely adopted into the aerospace sector.”
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