Global research projects

Airbus showcases hydrogen technologies

During the 2025 Airbus Summit in March, Airbus provided an update on its roadmap to pioneer the future of commercial aviation in the decades to come. It outlined plans to prepare a next-generation, single-aisle aircraft that could enter service in the second half of the 2030s, as well as its revised ZEROe project roadmap to mature the technologies associated with hydrogen-powered flight.

At the Summit, Airbus reconfirmed its commitment to bring to market a commercially viable hydrogen aircraft and presented some of the key technology building blocks that will enable the advent of a fully electric, fuel-cell powered, commercial aircraft.

These technologies were showcased as part of a new, notional concept of a hydrogen aircraft powered by four, two-megawatt electric propulsion engines, each driven by a fuel cell system that converts hydrogen and oxygen into electrical energy. The four fuel cell systems would be supplied via two liquid hydrogen tanks. This concept will continue to be refined over the coming years as additional tests will help to mature the technologies associated with hydrogen storage and distribution, as well as with the propulsion systems.

Airbus Head of the ZEROe Project, Glenn Llewellyn, said: “Over the last five years, we have explored multiple hydrogen-propulsion concepts, before down-selecting this fully electric concept. We are confident it could provide the necessary power density for a hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft and could evolve as we mature the technology. In the coming years, we will concentrate on advancing the storage, distribution and propulsion systems, while also advocating for the regulatory framework needed to ensure these aircraft can take flight.”

In 2023, Airbus successfully demonstrated a 1.2MW hydrogen-propulsion system and, in 2024, end-to-end testing of an integrated fuel cell stack, electric motors, gearboxes, inverters and heat exchangers was completed. To address liquid hydrogen handling and distribution challenges in flight, Airbus (in collaboration with Air Liquide Advanced Technologies) has developed the Liquid Hydrogen BreadBoard (LH2BB) in Grenoble, France. Integrated ground testing is planned for 2027 at the Electric Aircraft System Test House in Munich, combining the propulsive bench and hydrogen distribution system for comprehensive system validation.

Beyond the aircraft technologies, Airbus will continue to foster the emergence of a hydrogen aviation economy and the associated regulatory framework, which are also critical enablers to the advent of hydrogen-powered flight at scale.

Industry 4.0 Enablement Centre for the UAE

In line with its mission to advance technological transformation in the industrial sector, the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) has signed an agreement with Thara Entrepreneurship Hub (powered by Ajman Chamber) to establish an Industry 4.0 Enablement Centre at Thara’s headquarters in Ajman (UAE).

The agreement was signed during the ‘Make it in the Emirates 2025’ event. H.E. Fatma Essa Al Mheiri, Acting Director of the Technology Adoption and Development Department at MoIAT, represented the ministry and, on behalf of the Thara Entrepreneurship Hub, H.E. Marwan Hareb Al Ariani, Executive Director of the Thara Centre for Entrepreneurship, signed the agreement.

The new hub is set to serve as a centre dedicated to supporting the adoption of advanced technology and Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) solutions. It also aims to enhance innovation and industrial development in the UAE, aligning with its vision of a sustainable, knowledge- and technology–driven economy.

Under the agreement, both parties will jointly operate and activate the Industry-4.0 Enablement Centre, offering a suite of specialised services and programmes focused on the industrial sector, accelerating technological transformation, and enhancing industrial competitiveness by empowering local industries with modern technologies.

The agreement defined the Centre's scope of work, which includes providing a platform for key industrial stakeholders through workshops, training programmes and panel discussions aimed at raising awareness of advanced technologies and Industry-4.0 solutions. It also encompasses building the capacities of the industrial sector’s workforce and sharing best practices and experiences in this area, along with other activities.

This represents a key milestone in MoIAT’s broader efforts to drive the UAE’s industrial digital transformation. It will enable entrepreneurs and manufacturers across the country to access advanced 4IR services and applications.

Digital tool “to transform product testing”

An InterAct-backed academic has developed a groundbreaking digital tool that could dramatically transform product development and testing. The VVT Prioritisation Tool, created by Dr. Khadija Tahera at The Open University, is a free, interactive online platform that helps engineers to align verification, validation and testing (VVT) strategies with customer requirements, regulatory standards and business objectives.

It offers a smarter way to plan and prioritise product testing, potentially saving time and reducing development costs. It was developed with the support of InterAct (the Made Smarter Innovation programme that brings together economic and social scientists), UK manufacturers, policymakers and digital technology providers to address the human issues resulting from the diffusion of new technologies in industry.

“Traditional VVT methods often focus too narrowly on technical risks, primarily reflecting the perspective of engineers. However, Dr. Tahera’s research highlights the importance of integrating the voices of the customer, regulator and business to ensure comprehensive, effective testing strategies,” said InterAct.

Her research led to the development of an innovative tool that brings previously siloed testing methodologies—Quality Function Deployment (QFD), Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Design Verification and Validation Plans (DVP&R)—into a unified, user-friendly platform.

It guides engineers through a seven-step process that helps to prioritise tests, make data-driven decisions and plan necessary tests, offering a dynamic solution to testing in product development. Users can also simulate changes and visualise how shifting priorities impact outcomes. 

Dr. Tahera said: “Testing can account for up to 75% of a product’s development budget. This tool simplifies a complex process into a clear, repeatable approach. It encourages teams to challenge assumptions and work collaboratively to improve quality, reduce cost and ensure

compliance. Although still in prototype, the tool is powerful, scalable and promotes smarter, faster decision-making. I believe manufacturers of all sizes can benefit from exploring its potential.”

The tool is available at https://smarttesting.open.ac.uk 

Advanced remanufacturing technology

A research collaboration between Renewable Parts Limited (RPL), SSE Renewables and the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) has demonstrated the potential to remanufacture critical onshore wind turbine components—restoring worn or damaged parts to their original specification or better—to drastically cut waste, reduce carbon emissions and extend part life.

Using advanced additive manufacturing, analysis and inspection techniques, the team successfully restored damaged pinion shafts from a wind turbine yaw gearbox, a key component that keeps turbines facing into the wind to maximise energy capture. Pinion shaft failures frequently lead to the replacement of components, resulting in up to 42kg of steel being scrapped and causing turbines to go offline.

To read the rest of this article in the July/August issue of ISMR, see https://joom.ag/41wd/p18