For the first time in the Netherlands, taxi tests have been carried out with a hydrogen aircraft at an operational airport. The ground tests at Rotterdam The Hague Airport included hydrogen refuelling, propulsion system tests and the first taxi ride. Through the tests, student team AeroDelft aims to gain experience in developing hydrogen infrastructure at airports and the hydrogen technology the team applies in their aircraft.
Student Team AeroDelft is an initiative of students from Delft University of Technology. The team focuses on developing sustainable aviation technology, in particular by designing and building hydrogen-powered aircraft. As part of TU Delft, AeroDelft works closely with various departments and research groups within the university, such as the TU Delft Flight Test Laboratory. The team aims to play an active role in projects aimed at scaling up hydrogen technology in practice.
Single-seater hydrogen-powered plane
The Delft team is designing and building a single-seater aircraft that runs on liquid hydrogen. The team sees the tests now carried out as an important step in the development of flying on hydrogen.
Several tests have previously been carried out, focusing in particular on the various subsystems. Last year, for instance, the entire powertrain was successfully tested on liquid hydrogen in a laboratory setup. In the new test conducted now, the propulsion system was tested in a real aircraft at an operational airport. This used gaseous hydrogen, as this technology is currently better developed.
Valuable knowledge
By testing at an operational airport, the team aims to gain knowledge about safety. Together with partners such as research test pilots and their team from the TU Delft Flight Test Laboratory, stationed at Rotterdam The Hague Airport under the name Fieldlab Next Aviation, AeroDelft made risk analyses and drew up an operational taxi test plan.
AeroDelft's goal is to have the aircraft actually fly on liquid hydrogen in a few years. To make this possible, the team is working on a safe and suitable storage tank and supply system for liquid hydrogen in the aircraft. A full tank of gaseous hydrogen is expected to allow the current aircraft to remain airborne for 40 minutes. Liquid hydrogen has a significantly higher energy density than gaseous hydrogen. The team expects that in a few years' time, the aircraft can remain airborne for two hours on liquid hydrogen.
DTB-DutcH₂ Aviation Hub
The ground tests are part of the DTB-DutcH₂ Aviation Hub project, which aims to develop hydrogen-powered aviation. Within this programme, partners such as AeroDelft, Rotterdam The Hague Airport, Air Products and TU Delft are working together to develop, test and scale up hydrogen-driven aviation throughout the chain. In doing so, Rotterdam The Hague Airport acts as a testing ground for innovation. The DutcH₂ Aviation Hub is part of the RHIA Foundation, which is coordinating the project. The taxi tests were carried out by test pilots from TU Delft.
