ZeroAvia, Hybrid Air Vehicles partner to develop hydrogen-electric Airlander 10

Hydrogen aircraft developer ZeroAvia has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with British aerospace company Hybrid Air Vehicles to develop a zero emission, hydrogen-powered version of the Airlander 10. 

In a statement, published on November 10, 2025, ZeroAvia announced that the hydrogen-electric Airlander will have “unparalleled range and capacity” for an electric aircraft. 

“Airlander is another exciting airframe for line-fit of our powertrains as it can open up a whole new market in air travel due to its range, efficiency and ability to operate from almost anywhere,” said Val Miftakhov, Founder and CEO of ZeroAvia. 

Airlander 10 is a new type of hybrid aircraft that uses a combination of aerostatic lift, aerodynamic lift, and vectored thrust, with a 10-tonne payload and 4,000 nautical mile maximum range.  

The two companies will investigate the possibility of equipping the Airlander 10 with four of ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric ZA600 powertrains, achieving an emissions reduction of up to 90% compared to similar capacity aircraft. 

ZeroAvia claims that this integration could enable full zero-emission flights carrying more than 100 passengers, as well as reduced maintenance costs. 

The company said that its first generation 600kW hydrogen-electric powertrain, ZA600, has already passed several regulatory milestones, secured hundreds of pre-orders and signed up launch customer airlines who are working to embed the system into more traditional fixed-wing aircraft for lower cost and more environmentally friendly flight.  

On January 19, 2023, ZeroAvia completed the first 35-minute flight of a Dornier 228 prototype using its ZA600 hydrogen-electric engine. 

This flight was part of a series of tests to evaluate and confirm the company’s hydrogen-electric technology before certification. The program is ongoing with several test flights as ZeroAvia aims for commercial certification by 2025. 

On November 10, 2025, ZeroAvia secured a €21.4 million EU grant to retrofit 15 Cessna Caravans with hydrogen-electric engines and build supporting airport fuel infrastructure, with operations planned for 2028. 

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To date, ZeroAvia has submitted its first complete engine for certification for planes with up to 20 seats and is developing a larger powertrain for aircraft with 40 to 80 seats. 

The post ZeroAvia, Hybrid Air Vehicles partner to develop hydrogen-electric Airlander 10 appeared first on AeroTime.

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