ZeroAvia, a company that has been developing a hydrogen fuel cell-based engine system for airplanes and Royal Schiphol, which operates the four major Dutch airports, are planning a hydrogen-powered commercial flight between Rotterdam and London by 2024.
The two companies expect to be cleared for flight with a 19-seat plane developed by ZeroAvia, which is based in the U.S. and UK. The company has received experimental certificates for its 9- and 19-seat prototype planes from both the FAA and the UK Civil Aviation Authority, and expects to win approval for commercial flights by 2024.
The companies are in discussions looking to find an airline company to operate the service once it is cleared.
Unlike planes that burn fossil fuels, the exhaust product from the system would be water. Hydrogen fuel cells are already in use powering land vehicles, but there are questions of scale before they could become practical for large aircraft.
