Story ID: 355
Hydroplane Demonstrates Integrated Fuel Cell Powerplant
By: Charles Alcock
Caption: The California startup has released video of its Protium aircraft
Word Count: 224
Hydroplane is demonstrating this week at EBACE 2024 how it has integrated a hydrogen fuel cell powerplant to provide both primary and auxiliary power for aircraft. The Los Angeles-based startup is exhibiting as part of the show's Innovation Pavilion, which includes an array of advanced air mobility pioneers.
Hydroplane is releasing a behind-the-scenes video showing how it has built and tested the technology with its 100% hydrogen-powered Protium aircraft. On Wednesday at 3 p.m., CEO Anita Sengupta will lead a workshop on how hydrogen propulsion can be integrated with other aircraft.
Sengupta, a former NASA engineer, is speaking in two EBACE panel sessions being held on the Innovation Stage—The Hydrogen Horizon: From H2 to Net Zero (1 p.m. on Wednesday), and Going the Extra Mile—Will Intermodal Transportation Expand Business Aviation (11:30 a.m. Thursday).
“Capable of powering fixed-wing, advanced air mobility, and vertical lift aircraft, Hydroplane’s hydrogen fuel cell powerplant will deliver affordable zero-emission electric propulsion that significantly outperforms batteries,” said Sengupta. “Innovative, safe, and sustainable hydrogen is the future of aviation power.”
The company has previously won two U.S. Air Force Agility research and development contracts and is also a U.S. Army xTechSearch 8 competition winner. It is aiming to deliver hydrogen propulsion with significantly lower operating costs than current piston engines.