HEART secures £10M to develop sub-regional hydrogen-electric aviation
The HEART Consortium – Hydrogen Electric Autonomous Regional Transport – has been awarded £10M under Innovate UK’s Future Flight Challenge Phase 3 competition.
Led by Blue Bear Systems Research, the HEART Consortium has been set up to develop and demonstrate a new business model for sub-regional aviation using hydrogen-electric powered, highly automated, zero-carbon aircraft.
Launched by Innovate UK in 2021, the Future Flight Challenge Phase 3 is funding projects to develop and demonstrate innovations in aerospace systems and operation, as well as new vehicle technologies.
HEART assembles a best-of-class consortium of 14 organisations that brings together world leaders in aircraft automation, beyond visual line of sight operations, hydrogen-electric power-train integration, hydrogen fuel infrastructure, quantum key security providers, infrastructure architects and universities with operational airlines, airports, digital airport and aviation service providers.
The Phase 3 HEART consortium includes Arqit, Britten-Norman, Edinburgh Napier University, FOD Mobility Group, Geneo, Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd, Protium, Loganair Limited, Mott MacDonald, RDM Group, Saab UK, Weston Williamson + Partners and ZeroAvia.
As a member of the Consortium, consultant Mott MacDonald has been tasked with modelling terminal facility requirements and sizing, supporting the definition of the end-to-end customer, aircraft, baggage and cargo journeys and supporting a digital integration strategy across the journey and energy strategies.
“We know that the aviation sector must decarbonise if we are to meet the challenges posed by the climate emergency, whether it’s small aircraft at small airfields or high volume through large airports,” said John Reavy, director of airports and aviation, Mott MacDonald.
“We are proud to be working alongside our colleagues across the industry at the forefront of this challenge by engaging on a project to transport the operation of regional aircraft networks by giving remote communities the option of sustainable air transport.”