French startup Beyond Aero announced on October 1, 2025, that it has reached Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL6) for its full-scale hydrogen-electric propulsion system, which will power the future BYA-1 aircraft.
Achieving TRL6 means that a specific system has progressed beyond basic laboratory testing and has begun to be tested in conditions representative of its intended operational environment.
Beyond Aero is developing a hydrogen-electric executive aircraft, the BYA-1, capable of carrying up to four passengers over distances of 800 nautical miles (1,481 kilometers).
In addition to having raised approximately $50 million in funding, Beyond Aero has also acquired part of the intellectual property, including the entire patent set, as well as relevant data sets, from another hydrogen aviation startup, Universal Hydrogen, which ceased operations in July 2024.
The test in which Beyond Aero managed to reach full power took place at the company’s lab in Toulouse, France.
There, Beyond Aero has set up three separate testing channels, which utilize equipment from two different fuel cell providers, generating a combined 1,200 kW of power. By running tests in parallel and independently of each other, Beyond Aero is also able to minimize technology risk.
As per the form of hydrogen Beyond Aero uses. The lab also has the capacity to compress, fill, store, and use pressurized hydrogen gas at 700 bar in Type IV tanks.
Beyond Aero has also confirmed that it is working closely and proactively with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) through an early consultation program to reduce the certification risk of the BYA-1 executive aircraft within the CAS-23 framework.
