Some Companies Still Developing Hydrogen Fuel Cells for VTOL Aircraft Written 17 April 2020

Aviation Today reports that “almost all players in the emerging urban air mobility industry have converged on the idea of using fully-electric aircraft, powered by lithium-ion batteries, to create affordable aerial transit options for relatively short distances. But a few companies continue to develop and advocate for the use of hydrogen fuel cells in VTOL [vertical take-off and landing] aircraft, maintaining they hold innate advantages over lithium-ion batteries – primarily in energy density and lifespan – and are the superior choice.” Hypoint is one example of a company looking to develop hydrogen fuel cells, and the company “has demonstrated an air-cooled hydrogen fuel cell powertrain that produces 1000 watts per kilogram of specific power with an energy density of 530 watt-hours per kg.” Meanwhile, Uber, “one of the most notable players in the urban air mobility space and author of the seminal Elevate white paper, has extensively studied hydrogen, hybrid-electric and other possibilities, arriving at a firm conclusion that battery-electric is the best option for UAM. None of Uber’s eight publicly confirmed vehicle partners use hydrogen as a power source.” Batteries and “fuel cells may both have economical applications in aerospace, similar to their evolving role in ground-based transportation. But for the moment, the coming generation of VTOL aircraft for urban air mobility will likely be fully-electric and powered by batteries.”
Full Story (Aviation Today)