ZeroAvia flexible fuel cell test shows expanded UAV & VTOL capabilities, opens up range of new applications

ZeroAvia today announced that its SuperStack Flex highly-customizable LTPEM fuel cell architecture has achieved over 1.0kW/kg specific net power at a full system level, including thermal management system, and has been successfully demonstrated in a 150kW net power configuration for a major customer.

The industry leading testing results have been made possible thanks to ZeroAvia’s innovative use of additive manufacturing techniques and will expand UAV / VTOL capabilities of the systems, as well as opening new applications in aerospace and other sectors.

Using selective laser sintering (SLS) powder-bed additive manufacturing processes, ZeroAvia has been able to perform high velocity cycles of design, build and test, and quickly combine typical parts or their functions into new monolithic structures. The key parts in the SuperStack Flex’s balance of plant – Anode, Cathode and Coolant Manifolds, thermal management, humidification and air compression systems – have been reduced from over 200 parts to less than 100, with ~50% weight and volume reductions. Fewer parts mean lighter, more compact, more reliable and less costly systems.

The ZeroAvia SuperStack Flex is a modular fuel cell power generation platform that can be scaled up or down between 100kW and 600kW net total continuous power applications. The lightweight, aviation optimized balance-of-plant, has been developed as a best-fit approach for many Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) with further potential applicability across aerospace and in marine and ground vehicles.

As well as its flexibility for different power requirements, the SuperStack Flex design enables separation of the core systems, meaning it can be highly versatile and efficient to integrate into different airframes, overcoming space constraints.

The flexibility of the SuperStack Flex system enables customers to incorporate the technology and accelerate their R&D on fuel cell powered platforms. ZeroAvia’s focus on certification of its fuel cell engines and its traction with the CAA and FAA, provides confidence to customers working towards regulatory approval of their platforms.

Val Miftakhov, Founder and CEO, ZeroAvia, said: “Our team has really knocked it out of the park and delivered some truly world-leading engineering here. We are creating step-change aerospace fuel cell systems at a fraction of the usual development time and cost. SuperStack Flex can be customized to an aircraft OEM’s precise custom needs, power requirements and aircraft layout, so we can get them flying on fuel cells quickly, and thus improve the flight duration, lifecycle and the total cost of ownership of their aircraft.”

The breakthroughs in low temperature fuel cell technologies in the SuperStack Flex development closely follow other major milestones for ZeroAvia in early 2025: the company’s 600kW electric propulsion system (EPS) received its FAA G-1 issue paper and a first customer purchase of the standalone 600kw EPS.