Joby flew their eVTOL 523 miles on liquid hydrogen
Joby Aviation is famous for its battery-powered 5-seater eVTOL designed primarily to service urban routes. So it surprised some when in June 2024 they flew 523 miles with 40kg of liquid hydrogen1. The fuel cell system from H2FLY helped Joby demonstrate both the ability to accommodate different energy sources and how hydrogen might be the answer to the question of how to meet demand on longer regional routes.
Joby’s success with hydrogen therefore shows promise for Regional Air Mobility and also highlights the increasing complexity and variety of risks underwriters will be contending with as they provide insurance for Advanced Air Mobility pioneers. Despite claims that Lithium battery technology may soon be sufficient to do away with combustible fuels altogether, we can expect to see a variety of energy sources and associated infrastructure as next-gen aircraft embark on a diversity of missions.
Image credit: Joby Aviation
1 https://www.jobyaviation.com/news/joby-demonstrates-potential-regional-journeys-landmark-hydrogen-electric-flight/
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