Ahead of today's conclusion of Farnborough International Airshow, ZeroAvia and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines have landed a deal that will see a pioneering demo take to the skies. 

The deal will see ZeroAvia's ZA2000 zero-emission, hydrogen-electric engines bear the Dutch carrier's logo for large regional turboprop flight.

The aviation disruptor and globally recognised startup, which has a major research op at Kemble in Gloucestershire, says the deal is a first major target milestone and that the companies aim to conduct an initial A-to-B flight demonstration between two airport locations in 2026.

A spokesman said: "As well as identifying the optimal airport pair, immediate workstreams will be working towards regulatory permits to fly and ensuring supply of liquid hydrogen fuel and putting in place the supporting infrastructure for aircraft fueling."

The collaboration seeks to get the provision from KLM and ZeroAvia for an evidence-base for adoption of cleaner flight on KLM's network, while the project will also accelerate the development of concepts of operations for hydrogen aircraft across the EU.

With support of advanced technologies such as hydrogen and electric aviation being one of three pillars to help the aviation sector decarbonise, the maintenance divisions of KLM and Air France are currently working with ZeroAvia to build the knowledgebase for effective MRO operations for hydrogen fuel cell planes.

James Peck, Chief Customer Officer, ZeroAvia, said: "The world's largest airlines are diving in to explore hydrogen-electric as a potential solution with increasing seriousness. We can't wait to work with KLM, being an airline with such rich history, as we look towards a clean future for the industry."

Maarten Koopmans, Managing Director, KLM Cityhopper, added: "KLM aims to be a front-runner in the journey towards a more sustainable future in aviation. That's why we actively support and encourage innovation to drive industry change. When it comes to the future of zero-emission flights, KLM supports various technologies and innovations simultaneously. Together with our sector partners, we are conducting research on electric, hydrogen, and hybrid-powered flights and exploring ways to expedite these advancements."

ZeroAvia has already extensively tested a prototype of its first ZA600-engine aboard a Dornier 228 aircraft at its UK base. The company has also performed advanced ground tests in the US and UK for the key building block technologies for the ZA2000 system, including cryogenic tanks or LH2 and proprietary high-temperature PEM fuel cell and electric propulsion systems. ZA2000 will support up to 80 seat regional turboprop aircraft such as the ATR72 or the Dash 8 400.

● How does the technology it work? ZeroAvia's formula for green flight features hydrogen-electric engines which use hydrogen in fuel cells to generate electricity. This is then used to power electric motors to turn the aircraft's propellers. The only emission is low-temperature water vapor, with studies therefore estimating an up to 90% reduction in climate impact when compared with typical kerosene-fueled flights.