Beyond Aero reaches TRL6 for hydrogen-electric powered aircraft

Beyond Aero, a pioneer in hydrogen-electric propulsion for business aviation, has achieved Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL6) for its hydrogen-electric powered aircraft. The milestone has been validated through a full-scale propulsion system test campaign in a representative environment, marking the transition from laboratory research to industrial viability. The demonstration took place at the company’s newly opened integrated hydrogen-electric powertrain laboratory in Toulouse, France.

Backed by US$50 million in funding, Beyond Aero’s facility ranks among the world’s three most powerful of its kind. It replicates three representative fuel cell channels, with a combined capacity of 1,200 kW. The site includes infrastructure to compress, store, and use hydrogen at 700 bar with Type IV tanks, ensuring industrial-grade safety and scalability. It also houses flight-representative test benches for performance validation and the collection of certification-ready data.

This achievement follows Beyond Aero’s acquisition of Universal Hydrogen’s intellectual property, flight data, assets, and team members. The transaction included the full patent portfolio, flight test and digital records, strategic test bench equipment such as electric turbo compressors, and specialist staff—representing more than US$90 million of previous investment. The acquisition has provided proven designs and critical data, accelerating certification efforts and de-risking system integration, while strengthening the company’s expertise in in-flight environments.

Validation of the propulsion system was carried out with leading aerospace suppliers. EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies supplied its NM20 platform, forming the core of the energy conversion system. FEV Aerospace co-engineered the fuel cell system for airworthiness compliance, while BrightLoop Converters contributed high-performance DC-DC converters. AVL supported with advanced test infrastructure, and Dassault Systèmes provided virtual twins of both aircraft and powertrain. Airbus Protect also played a crucial role, supporting compliance efforts through safety analysis, hazard assessments, and certification case development.

The TRL6 milestone marks a significant step in Beyond Aero’s mission to deliver hydrogen-electric propulsion to business aviation, advancing clean flight from concept towards commercial reality.