CAAM Celebrates First Piloted Hydrogen-Powered Helicopter Flight by Unither Bioélectronique

    April 7, 2025
    This was the first flight demonstration of a piloted hydrogen-powered helicopter globally and Canada’s first piloted hydrogen-powered flight.
    Canadian Advanced Air Mobility (CAAM)
    67f417dc13e1b12f2aadae75 Canadian Advanced Air Mobility Caam

    Canadian Advanced Air Mobility (CAAM) National Board member Unither Bioélectronique has completed the world’s first flight demonstration of a piloted hydrogen-powered helicopter.

    The flight took place at Roland-Désourdy Airport in Bromont, Québec on March 27, 2025. This was the first flight demonstration of a piloted hydrogen-powered helicopter globally and Canada’s first piloted hydrogen-powered flight.

    The successful three-minute, 16-second flight validated the capabilities of a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) hydrogen fuel cell system to support the power demands of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) flight.

    “Our first test flight successfully demonstrated the hover and maneuver capabilities of our innovative hydrogen powertrain,” said Mikaël Cardinal, vice president, program management & business development, organ delivery systems for Unither Bioélectronique.

    “Our next phase of development will focus on integrating a liquid hydrogen storage system, which we believe is an essential technology for enabling our extended-range missions to deliver manufactured organ alternatives to patients in need,” Cardinal added.

    The flight is part of Project Proticity, a joint initiative between Unither Bioélectronique and Robinson Helicopter Company focused on accelerating zero-emission aviation through the use of hybrid hydrogen-electric propulsion systems.

    The successful demonstration—performed by test pilot Ric Webb under an experimental flight permit from Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA)—utilized an experimental Robinson R44 Raven II equipped with a dual PEM fuel cell/battery hybrid powertrain, with approximately 90% of the flight’s energy coming from hydrogen fuel cells.

    “This historic achievement proves that clean aviation isn’t a distant dream—it’s a present-day reality taking flight right here in Canada,” said JR Hammond, executive director of CAAM.

    Hammond continued, “Unither’s success is a shining example of the innovation happening across our ecosystem and demonstrates how Canadian leadership is shaping the global future of zero-emission air mobility.”