AMSL Aero has secured $3 million in Australian Government funding. The funding aims to accelerate the development of liquid hydrogen-powered aviation. ASML Aero is a major developer of the hydrogen-electric VTOL aircraft Vertiia.
The funding is awarded under the Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) Program. It will support a two-year initiative called Liquid Hydrogen Powered Aircraft for Regional and Remote Australia. The total project is valued at $7.56 million.
A Push Towards Hydrogen Aviation
The project will see AMSL Aero working with liquid hydrogen specialist Fabrum. Moreover, AMSL will be working alongwith Monash University and Deakin University. Together, they aim to address the technical and safety challenges of hydrogen-powered aircraft.
The research will focus on:
- Designing safe liquid hydrogen refuelling systems
- Testing advanced fuel measurement and power distribution during flight
- Developing regulatory pathways for hydrogen aviation
- Demonstrating integrated refuelling procedures with aircraft systems
This collaboration aims to position Australia as a leader in hydrogen aviation infrastructure. It will also help in advancing the commercial readiness of eVTOL technology.
Government Support for Sustainable Air Mobility
AMSL Aero CEO Dr Adriano Di Pietro welcomed the announcement, describing it as a major milestone. “This funding points to the Australian Government’s support for our mission to revolutionise air mobility. Especially for regional and remote Australia,” Di Pietro said. “The project objectives reflect our cooperative leadership across the sector.”
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Australia’s remote regions rely heavily on aviation for essential services. These services include medical transport, freight, and passenger travel. Transitioning to hydrogen-powered aircraft could reduce emissions significantly. It will also provide more sustainable transport options in areas underserved by conventional infrastructure.
Vertiia: Australia’s Hydrogen eVTOL
AMSL Aero’s Vertiia is part of a new generation of aircraft that combines VTOL capability with the efficiency of fixed-wing flight. The aircraft is designed to be quiet, fast, and emission-free.
The company is among a small group of global manufacturers that have flown an eVTOL in untethered horizontal flight. This puts AMSL on the top tier of advanced air mobility developers worldwide.
AMSL Aero hopes to extend flight range while ensuring safe and reliable operations suited to Australia’s vast geography.
A Step Towards Net-Zero Aviation
The announcement underscores growing momentum behind hydrogen as a pathway to net-zero aviation. AMSL Aero’s project could provide the groundwork for regulatory frameworks, safety standards, and refuelling infrastructure that will support the sector in the coming decade.
If successful, the initiative could make hydrogen-powered eVTOLs a cornerstone of regional connectivity in Australia.
Javeria Sajid is an Aerospace Engineering student from NUST with a background in technology and a sharp focus on the global political landscape and defence innovation. She writes to make complex defence technologies understandable, and aspires to bridge journalism, policy, and engineering in her work.
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