ZeroAvia has received a conditional order from Maritime Energy Heli Air Services (MEHAIR), for a maximum of 20 ZA600 hydrogen-electric engines.

These engines have been under development with Zero Avia for a long time and their current plan involves their aim to have the engine certified by the end of 2025. Along with working to develop the engine itself, the company has also been working with the UK’s CAA, plus other regulators, to make sure that the engine is certified across the globe. The order that MEHAIR made, brings the total number of engine pre-orders which ZeroAvia has received up to 2,000.

The 20 ZA600 engines will be retrofitted to MEHAIR’s fleet of 10 Cessana Caravan aircrafts and in order to do this MEHAIR will begin looking into options for financing this development. Along with supplying the engine, ZeroAvia will also work together with MEHAIR to create a fuel supply across India, to enable the operator’s services.

MEHAIR has ordered the engines as the company has stated their plans and aims of creating a system of sub-regional routes throughout India. The company aims for these routes to be accessible for both amphibian and wheeled aircraft. These designs have been approved by India, who will use these aircrafts to its advantage in its aim to use hydrogen as a pathway towards it clean energy future. The main focus for India’s plan will be on the hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation, with the overall goal for this plan being to reach Net Zero by 2070. Starting this journey, India has the preliminary aim to be producing five million metric tons of hydrogen every year, by 2030.

Chief Customer Officer at ZeroAvia, James Peck, commented, “The rapid increase in demand for flights will be a key driver of economic growth and social and cultural exchange, but clean flight technology will be essential to ensure it does not derail Net Zero progress.”

Managing Director of MEHAIR, Siddharth Verma, mentioned, “Operating under the highly successful UDAN scheme, Government of India, amphibian, and other small-wheeled aircraft can provide the much needed ‘last-mile’ connectivity by bringing in a seamless network of runways and waterways, all the while offering an exceptional experience for passengers and boosting local economies. Aligning with the government’s vision of sustainable aviation, we believe we need to find sustainable ways to power our operations in the future, and we’re excited by what ZeroAvia’s technology offers, and the progress demonstrated so far.”

In the past ZeroAvia has had success with hydrogen-powered technology and the company recorded its first flight in 2023, they have also entered several other partnerships with other countries, continuously expanding and growing their business.