Chinese company Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) announced that it has successfully completed a hydrogen-powered flight.
The flight test, which took place on April 4, 2026, in the vicinity of the city of Zhuzhou, in Hunan province, involved the hydrogen-powered version of AECC’s AEP100 powertrain.
The engine appears to have been mounted on a W5000, a 7.5-ton unmanned turboprop aircraft.
This aircraft, developed by Chinese cargo drone manufacturer Air White Whale, flew a 36-kilometre circuit during which it reached a speed of 220 km/h. The flight test lasted 16 minutes, during which the aircraft’s altitude never surpassed 300 meters.
AECC claims that the AEP100 is the first megawatt-class turboprop engine powered by liquid hydrogen. According to Chinese media outlets reporting on the test, the primary mission of hydrogen-powered drones will be regional cargo transportation, although new applications will be developed later on as technology matures.
The handling of liquid hydrogen onboard an aircraft presents a difficult challenge for engineers because the fuel must be kept at extremely low temperatures, below –253 C. Despite this difficulty, a number of companies are developing liquid hydrogen propulsion technologies, as it is seen as the most space-efficient way to store and transport this type of fuel.
In September 2023, German firm H2FLY completed the world’s first manned flight powered by liquid hydrogen. The following year, H2FLY’s parent company, Joby Aviation, completed a landmark 523 miles (842 kilometers) flight in California powering one of its eVTOL aircraft by liquid hydrogen.
Joby Aviation is also applying the hydrogen propulsion technology developed by its H2FLY subsidiary to develop long range drones for military applications. A path that rival eVTOL developer Archer Aviation is also said to be exploring.
Hydrogen aviation firm ZeroAvia has also been experimenting with liquid hydrogen although it has not yet tested it in flight. So far, its flight tests have used gaseous hydrogen, with liquid hydrogen having been used in ground tests.
