Electric aircraft and hydrogen-powered planes could become a common sight in UK skies, after 8 companies were awarded funding.
Part of a wider £43 million package for next-generation aviation technology, the latest round of funding will sponsor the development of electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft in the UK.
This will reduce emissions associated with air travel for passengers, as well as provide skilled employment opportunities.
The 8 zero-emission aircraft projects are:
Bristol Airport liquid hydrogen supply assurance and architecture study
Awarded £93, 164 in DfT funding, this project will develop a practical and evidence-based pathway for how Bristol Airport could introduce liquid hydrogen infrastructure to support future zero-emission flight.
The study addresses an important sector challenge: how to translate early hydrogen trials and refuelling concepts into a dependable airport fuel system that can support future aircraft operations, regulatory decisions and investment choices.
It will contribute to the long-term transition toward cleaner airport operations and lower-carbon air transport.
CHOSAN zero emission flight demonstration
Awarded £1.1 million, this consortium is developing cryogenic hydrogen optimised systems for aviation (CHOSAN). CHOSAN will demonstrate the practical use of liquid hydrogen (LH2) as a low-carbon aviation fuel through a programme of real-world flight operations, while also helping to develop the operational experience and regulatory framework needed to support LH2-fuelled aircraft at commercial airports. Building on recent advances in hydrogen propulsion, the project will deliver a series of point-to-point flights on regional routes of up to 500 km.
The data generated will support industry, regulators and policymakers in understanding how hydrogen can be deployed safely and effectively in regional air transport.
ECLiPSE (electrified charging and liquid-cooling provision for support of e-flights)
Awarded £1.75 million, Project ECLIPSE will deliver innovative solutions to reduce costs, site integration time & the availability of high-power charging & thermal management systems for electric aircraft. With Bath University & InnCat Ltd as partners, vertical aerospace (VA) will integrate key transformative technologies that realise significant cost benefits, alongside increased product performance, system footprint reduction & long-term robustness.
Demonstrating this new technology will establish a route to higher charging power that improves the commercial viability of electrified routes for operators. These are key enablers for the proliferation of electrified aerospace and are expected to be further applied to the wider transport sector.
HyPRIME (hydrogen propulsion refuelling infrastructure mobile ecosystem)
Awarded £2.1 million, Project HyPRIME will develop, build and demonstrate a mobile hydrogen refuelling vehicle capable of supporting liquid hydrogen powered aircraft together and hydrogen-powered Ground Support Equipment and facilities applications.
Demonstrated in a live airport environment, the project will analyse and document operations, procedures, costs, benefits and economic trade-offs for introduction and scaling of liquid hydrogen fuel in commercial airports.
SATE hydrogen roadmap
Awarded £190,080, the SATE hydrogen roadmap is a feasibility study exploring how hydrogen-powered aircraft could be introduced on regional aviation routes across the Highlands & Islands of Scotland.
The region’s remote and island communities depend on air services, however, current services face:
- rising costs
- ageing fleets
- growing pressure to reduce carbon emissions
The consortium will deliver:
- a hydrogen in aviation roadmap
- prioritised list of routes
- demonstrator recommendations
- airport infrastructure plans
The project’s insights will provide a clear pathway from demonstration to commercial deployment, with potential for replication across other remote regions of the UK.
Scalable power architecture to rapidly charge aircraft (SPARC-AIR)
Awarded £197,308, this feasibility study at the University of Warwick addresses the need for high-power charging infrastructure and power systems at airports to recharge electric aircraft during turnarounds. The project will also address the commercial viability for airports to accommodate electric aircraft.
The project outcomes will be published in the form of a blueprint for UK airport electrification, including:
- viable commercial models to accommodate electric aircraft
- streamlined processes to right-size the power system and compliance with standards
Regulatory aspects for safe ground operations and electric aircraft recharging will also be considered. It will integrate fragmented knowledge into actionable insights, facilitating wide engagement with all stakeholders.
Project SEAN – Scottish electric aviation network
Awarded £1.5 million, this project brings together a consortium to deliver a structured, real-world demonstration of zero‑emission regional flight. Building on experience from initiatives such as Norway’s test arena for zero and low emission aviation, the consortium will develop an evidence-based hub-and-spoke network using Inverness Airport as a hub connecting to other Scottish airports, ensuring the network is appropriately sized and informing assessments of electricity requirements at each operating location.
The programme will conduct a three-month series of demonstration flights using the BETA Alia CX300 aircraft. This operational phase will cover:
- flight planning
- pilot qualification
- operational risk assessment
- regulatory alignment
- the development of electrification & charging CONOPS
Sky-Zero: operational pathways for avoiding contrails in zero-emission flight
Awarded £174,772, the project focuses on the fixed-wing regional aircraft, expected to be among the first zero-emission aircraft to enter commercial service in the UK.
The project will create a UK-specific understanding of contrail formation by analysing meteorological data and flight patterns. Using this information, it will develop decision-support tools and operational guidance to help airlines plan routes that avoid contrail-forming conditions, while maintaining safe and efficient operations.
Sky-Zero will also develop monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) methods to measure and validate the climate benefits of contrail avoidance.
The UK government is investing in emission-free aircraft
Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport, said: “The next generation of flight is taking off in the UK.
“By powering up electric and hydrogen-powered planes, we’re bringing passengers closer to the flights of the future – while creating skilled jobs, backing UK businesses and spreading economic growth to all 4 corners of the country.
“We’re working hand in hand with industry to cut emissions, drive innovation, and ensure the UK remains one of the best places in the world to build, test and fly the aircraft of tomorrow.”
The government backed flying taxis and drones with a major £46.5 million investment announced in May to make medical deliveries a reality, assist police forces in combatting crime, and allow commercial companies to use delivery drones, with Amazon already running trials in Darlington.
