For anyone following the progress of Joby Aviation closely, you will not have failed to notice their groundbreaking 523 mile hydrogen-electric flight on June 24, 2024¹. This hydrogen-electric research is being supported through Joby’s partnership with the US Air Force’s AFWERX’s Agility Prime Program².
Personally I see hydrogen-electric (in addition to autonomous flight) as being a key enabler for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi and air cargo ubiquity. Ubiquity in the sense of widespread, low-cost local and regional consumer services as well as significant governmental use, such as within the military. What is particularly interesting about hydrogen-electric (or HeVTOL) aircraft is that they should deliver longer flight durations than pure electric powertrains, lower maintenance requirements than traditional combustion alternatives, as well as quick refueling times.
Both hydrogen-electric and autonomous flight technologies are seemingly within Joby’s grasp thanks to their general progress as well as acquisitions of H2FLY and Xwing together with recent demonstration flights. Xwing as part of Joby Aviation for example having recently demonstrated autonomous flights as part of the US Air Force’s Agile Flag exercise³.
Coming back to hydrogen-electric, and when discussing this previously with others, my primary concern was how the US military fuel logistics currently revolves around gasoline and oil. The concern being that while Joby Aviation may soon be able to supply hydrogen-electric aircraft, the military would not be geared up for distributing the hydrogen required to enable widespread use of Joby’s hydrogen-electric powered aircraft.
Positively, it seems on further research that hydrogen and its logistics is not only being considered by the US Air Force, but the US Army as well…
‘In December 2024, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) has unveiled a cutting-edge hydrogen-powered small microgrid (nanogrid) at the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in New Mexico. This innovative demonstration represents a team effort led by ERDC, partnering with the Directorate of Public Works (DPW) Environmental Division at WSMR and the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, known as DEVCOM, Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Atmospheric Intelligence for Hybrid Power Advancements (AIHPA). Notably, this will be the first operational nanogrid of its kind in the Army.’⁴
Lastly I can see that there is a root-and-branch joined up approach being taken by the US Department of Defense (DoD), given their efforts on joint service collaboration⁵. For example in March 2023 the Office of the Secretary of Defense Manufacturing Science and Technology Program (MSTP) hosted a demonstration at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia to increase Warfighter awareness of hydrogen-enabled technologies.
In my opinion all this research and preparatory activity within various military services, together with overarching joint services work led by the DoD bodes very well for the future of hydrogen-electric platforms, such as what Joby are currently developing, together with the required hydrogen supply infrastructure being available within (or accessible by) the future US military.
The only caveat to this process in my mind, is the Trump factor and whether a pro-oil agenda derails apparent progress being made by the US military with hydrogen. I will be watching this aspect particularly closely. However it should be said, that the military eVTOL / HeVTOL supply opportunity is only a part of what Joby envisages with its business model, so even if regulation or executive orders slow or stop hydrogen-electric in the military, it will hopefully not affect consumer services given the clear advantages of eVTOLs over conventional combustion engine options such as helicopters as well as Donald Trump’s commitment that the US, not China, leads this revolution in air mobility.
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