ZeroAvia receives FAA G-1 for 600-kilowatt electric propulsion

Source | ZeroAvia

ZeroAvia (Hollister, Calif., U.S.) announced that it has reached consensus on the Certification Basis relating to its 600-kilowatt electric propulsion system (EPS) with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), having received a G-1 Issue Paper (stage 2) and formally confirmed agreement with its contents.

The G-1 represents a key milestone toward final certification of the company’s EPS with the U.S. regulator, and also on its path to certifying its first full hydrogen-electric powertrain (of which the EPS is a core system) with the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The issue paper designates the applicable airworthiness regulations specific for ZeroAvia’s EPS, enabling the company to validate its design requirements.

ZeroAvia’s 600-kilowatt EPS combines the company’s inverter and electric motor technology to deliver a highly efficient electric engine with optimal fault tolerance and specific power. The 600-kilowatt EPS system comprises four ZeroAvia 200-kilowatt continuous power bidirectional inverters converting DC power to AC to supply ZeroAvia’s direct drive motor, capable of 2,200 rpm. Potential applications for the 600-kilowatt EPS include battery, hybrid and fuel cell electric fixed-wing aircraft, rotorcrafts and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The 600-kilowatt system was designed as part of ZeroAvia’s wider ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain, designed for up to 20-seat commercial aircraft. By advancing the aerospace applicability and performance of power electronics and electric motors, the company is progressing discussions to supply the electric propulsion system separately to other clean aviation innovators. In 2024, ZeroAvia opened a 136,000-square-foot Propulsion Center of Excellence in Everett, Washington, to produce these electric propulsion systems.

The company cites nearly 3,000 orders for its full powertrains and components. “Achieving a first certification will be a monumental achievement for our team and for the aviation industry,” says Miftakhov.

ZeroAvia has already extensively tested a prototype of the ZA600 hydrogen-electric engine aboard a Dornier 228 aircraft at its U.K. base. The company has an engineering partnership with Textron Aviation (Wichita, Kan., U.S.) as it looks to secure a supplemental type certificate for the Cessna Grand Caravan as the launch airframe for the ZA600.

ZeroAvia has also performed ground tests in the U.S. and U.K. for the key building block technologies for the ZA2000 system, including cryogenic tanks (LH2) and high-temperature PEM fuel cell and electric propulsion systems. The ZA2000 will support up to 80-seat regional turboprop aircraft such as the ATR 72 and the Dash 8-400.