FutureFlight
Honeywell Partnering with Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Hydrogen Studies
Work on hydrogen storage and power generation centers on all forms of air travel.
Honeywell and WPI researchers study hydrogen
Andrew Teixeira, assistant professor of chemical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (left), and WPI PhD student Januario da Costa, study textural properties of next-generation hydrogen storage materials for aviation. (Photo: WPI)

Honeywell Aerospace and Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts have established a partnership to study hydrogen storage and power generation for all forms of air travel, including unmanned aerial vehicles, passenger airliners, and cargo aircraft. Honeywell already has what it calls a significant presence on WPI’s campus, where it supplies hydrogen equipment and technology expertise.

A group of roughly 25 Honeywell team members now work with WPI experts and students under a multiyear contract to develop hydrogen storage and fuel cell technologies. Honeywell uses such technologies for unmanned aerial vehicles, and the Honeywell-WPI team has begun investigating hydrogen solutions for UAVs, cargo drones, air taxis, and larger aircraft that could one day power commuter and regional flights without petroleum fuels.