Unither Bioelectronics Plans Hydrogen-powered Robinson Helicopters | Aviation International News

Unither Bioelectronics Plans Hydrogen-powered Helicopters

Hydrogen fuel cells could power organ delivery flights

Mikaël Cardinal, vice president of program management and organ delivery systems at United Therapeutics, and David Smith, president and CEO of Robinson Helicopter Company, shake hands in front of a Robinson R66.

By Matt Thurber • Editor-in-Chief

By Hanneke Weitering • Science & Technology Editor

August 19, 2024

Unither Bioelectronics is teaming up with Robinson Helicopter to develop hydrogen-powered variants of the company’s R44 and R66 helicopters. Robinson has agreed to collaborate with Unither to develop supplemental type certificates for the modified helicopters in the U.S. and Canada, contributing its technical and regulatory expertise to the project. As a subsidiary of United Therapeutics—a biotechnology company and public benefit corporation specializing in organ transplant technology—Unither Bioelectronics aims to usher in the next generation of airborne organ delivery systems with zero-emission and autonomous flight technologies.

United Therapeutics had been developing all-electric, battery-powered Robinson helicopters since 2016, working with Tier 1 Engineering to convert the R44 with electric propulsion units provided by MagniX. The partners flight-tested three generations of electric R44 prototypes, and that program showed what could be done with existing battery technology, which is still somewhat limited in terms of the range it can deliver for a light helicopter.

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