15 projects have been awarded funding to help support UK airports in handling new forms of electric and hydrogen aircraft.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps this week announced the winners of the £3 million competition designed to find projects that can make zero emission flights a reality.

Winning projects include wireless charging for electric planes, swappable battery packs to keep flight turnover times to a minimum, and state-of-the-art fuelling tanks to safely and efficiently refuel flights of the future.

The successful projects have been awarded a share of over £700,000 to help bring forward research and technology.

“As the world reopens from the pandemic, it is essential that we are investing in greener aviation as part of our transport decarbonisation agenda,” said Shapps. “Funding these revolutionary projects will help to slash carbon, create jobs and get us closer to our goal of operating zero emission flights.”

The winners include Cranfield University, University of Warwick, CD02, School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering – Queen’s University Belfast, Ampaire, University of Strathclyde, ZeroAvia, EGB Engineering Consultants, Hive Composites, Protium GGreen Solutions, and Ultima Forma.

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