
Hydrogen fuel cell developer HyPoint expects to have a full-scale 150-kW system ready to deliver to an undisclosed electric aircraft manufacturer during the first quarter of 2022. The California-based startup aims to announce the identity of this partner in September and hopes to have a 1-kW unit ready for testing by early 2021, followed by a 15-kW unit, as part of its strategy to advance hydrogen propulsion systems as an alternative to both battery-dependent motors and hybrid systems using jet-A-powered engines.

In June, Urban Aeronautics signed a memorandum of understanding under which HyPoint will provide zero-carbon hydrogen fuel cell technology for its planned CityHawk eVTOL aircraft. The Israeli company aims to have a hydrogen-powered version of this six-seat design ready to enter service between 2028 and 2030, after a planned first flight with an earlier hybrid-electric version by early 2023.