AeroDelft Makes History as First Student Team to Test Electric Aircraft Powered by Liquid Hydrogen

AeroDelft Makes History as First Student Team to Test Electric Aircraft Powered by Liquid Hydrogen

(IN BRIEF) AeroDelft has made history as the first student team to successfully test an electric aircraft propulsion system powered by liquid hydrogen, marking a significant step in the journey towards sustainable aviation. The POTOMAC Phase III trial demonstrates the viability of liquid hydrogen as an alternative to conventional aviation fuels, with significant implications for reducing emissions and improving performance in aviation. The team continues its development efforts with plans to conduct the first manned test flight of its hydrogen-powered aircraft in the coming years.

(PRESS RELEASE) DELFT, 9-May-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — AeroDelft, a student-run and student-owned non-profit organization based in Delft, has made history as the first student team in the world to design, build, and successfully test an electric aircraft propulsion system powered by liquid hydrogen. The ground-breaking test was conducted in collaboration with TNO at their liquid hydrogen facility in Ypenburg, The Hague, marking a pivotal milestone in the team’s mission to validate and promote liquid hydrogen as a sustainable alternative to conventional aviation fuels.

Working with liquid hydrogen presents numerous technical and logistical challenges, including the need to store it at -253°C and condition it to room temperature before use in the fuel cell, where hydrogen and oxygen are combined to produce electricity. This process, while emitting only water as a byproduct, combines the hazards of cryogenics with the flammability and volatility of hydrogen gas. To address these challenges, AeroDelft developed a vacuum-insulated tank in collaboration with Cryoworld and a custom-built electric heat exchanger capable of handling extreme temperature gradients. The system, designed with strict safety redundancies and remote operability, was successfully integrated with TNO and Air Products, a liquid hydrogen supplier.

Davide Mangini, Chief of Liquid Hydrogen Propulsion at AeroDelft, shared his excitement: “Watching the propeller spin—powered by a liquid hydrogen system we spent years designing—was one of the most powerful moments of my life. All the pressure, all the late nights, came down to that single visual confirmation: it works. And we made it work, together.”

Since 2018, AeroDelft has been working on Project Phoenix, which aims to develop a manned liquid hydrogen-powered electric aircraft. The team has previously flown a battery-electric drone and tested with gaseous hydrogen; however, both fall short of meeting the aviation performance demands. Liquid hydrogen, with its superior energy density, presents a more competitive solution, despite its inherent challenges.

Wadeke Tieleman, Team Manager, expressed pride in the team’s accomplishment: “This test shows what’s possible when students take full ownership of a mission they believe in. Our commitment to sustainable aviation is shared by everyone on this team, and we’re incredibly proud to be among the world’s most experienced students in working with hydrogen.”

With this successful test, AeroDelft has reached a significant milestone in sustainable aviation. The team will now analyze the data, refine the full-scale system, and prepare for the first manned test flight of its liquid hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric aircraft.

About AeroDelft

Founded in 2018, AeroDelft is a student-owned and student-run non-profit based in Delft, Netherlands, comprising over 60 students from a wide range of educational backgrounds and nationalities. The team is dedicated to accelerating sustainable aviation by developing hydrogen-powered aircraft, including the Phoenix Prototype and the Full-Scale Phoenix. AeroDelft is currently testing its full-scale powertrain with gaseous hydrogen, alongside liquid hydrogen testing on its scaled-down prototype. The Full-Scale Phoenix, a manned hydrogen fuel cell-electric aircraft, is being developed with the ambition to fly on gaseous hydrogen in 2025 and on liquid hydrogen in 2026.

Media Contact:

Tamás Dávid Farkas
Tel: +31 6 53560646
tamas.farkas@aerodelft.nl
Website AeroDelft

SOURCE: TU Delft