HYdrogen DEmonstrator for Aviation

The HYDEA project, which stands for “HYdrogen DEmonstrator for Aviation”, proposes a strong and time-effective technology maturation plan to develop an H2 propulsion system to secure an Entry Into Service of a zero-CO2 low-emission aircraft by 2035, consistently with the expected timeframe of the European Green Deal and CA SRIA objectives. HYDEA will holistically demonstrate the feasibility of hydrogen propulsion on an aircraft engine in a compacted timeframe (2023-2026) up to Ground test. The project aims to address fundamental questions related to the use of hydrogen as an aviation fuel, also including emission studies and technologies, which will serve as an outlook to future engines. Moreover, HYDEA will pave the way toward the development and certification of new products integrating hydrogen technology. HYDEA results will be core for the ZEROe technology exploration project, launched by Airbus in 2020.

As the demonstrator may not be fully reflective of a future product, a series of studies and activities will be performed to help understand what the impact of simplifications introduced on the demonstrator could be, and how to close the identified gaps with a potential future product, for instance NOx optimization studies, potential contrails emissions and further optimization of the integration of all the subsystems, with the propulsion system and the aircraft. The revolutionary technologies in scope on the one hand and the need to maintain a clear focus on impact and EIS 2035 on the other, call for an early engagement and dialogue with EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) within HYDEA, starting from phase 1. HYDEA’s ambition will greatly benefit from a consortium which is heterogenous in nature and spaces from large OEMs to SMEs to RTOs to Accademia. It is also geographically widespread as it can count on ten different countries: Italy, France, Germany, Turkey, Poland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Switzerland and Ukraine.