26 May 2025
AMSL AERO UNVEILS BREAKTHROUGH RESULTS OF HYDROGEN AVIATION TESTING AT BANKSTOWN AIRPORT
Australia’s long-range electric VTOL aircraft steps closer to zero-
emission flight with successful testing programme
​Sydney, Australia – 26 May 2025 – AMSL Aero, Australia’s zero-emission aircraft designer and
manufacturer, is proud to announce the successful completion of its first year of hydrogen fuel cell
testing at Bankstown Airport, positioning it for emission-free flight testing within 12 months.
Positive results from the pioneering tests at one of Australia’s busiest airports have propelled AMSL
Aero closer to its goal of decarbonising essential air services such as medical transfers, passenger,
and freight services. AMSL Aero’s hybrid electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft,
Vertiia, will fly 1000km on hydrogen, making air transport cheaper and greener nationwide.
The tests' results reveal that since mid-2024, AMSL Aero has used more than 200 kilograms of
hydrogen. That is enough to fill an Olympic swimming pool at atmospheric pressure and successfully
power its 100kW fuel cell test bench, the only known facility of its kind in Australia.
The test bench works as a fully functional mock-up of the hydrogen powertrain for Vertiia, which
made Australian aviation history in late 2024 by making its first free flights. AMSL Aero has won
orders for Vertiias from general aviation operators including Bankstown Airport-based Aviation
Logistics, making it one of the few eVTOL manufacturers worldwide to have secured cash deposits.
“In just one year, our world-class engineering team has successfully demonstrated the practical
applications of hydrogen in aviation,” said Chris Smallhorn, Chairman of AMSL Aero. “Our
collaboration with Bankstown Airport is instrumental in our ongoing mission to offer longer-distance
flights that cut both the cost and carbon footprint of travel across Australia and elsewhere.”
Simon Coburn, Hydrogen Lead at AMSL Aero, said the 200kg of hydrogen used was sufficient to
export 30kW of electricity into the airport grid for three working weeks and slash the airport's power
bill by about 1.8MWh. He added: “Our fuel cell test bench has not only validated our aircraft's
powertrain but has also contributed to the airport's energy needs.”
Tom Smith, CEO of Aeria Management Group, operator of Bankstown Airport, said: “Bankstown
Airport is leading the way in the national flight path towards net-zero aviation. Thanks to AMSL Aero,
Bankstown Airport became the first airport in Australia to introduce hydrogen as aviation fuel.
“A year on, we are proud to continue working with the pioneering team at AMSL Aero to land
hydrogen-fuelled flights for all Australians, including essential emergency and aeromedical services
in regional and rural Australia.”
AMSL Aero has also deployed the test bench to Wellington Aerodrome in rural NSW for recharging
Vertiia between test flights.
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Media Contact for AMSL Aero
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