28 October 2025
World-first liquid-hydrogen refuelling delivers major step toward Australasia’s
first hydrogen-electric flight
Fabrum’s groundbreaking composite liquid-hydrogen aviation tanks for AMSL Aero and Stralis
Aircraft filled at Christchurch Airport-based test facility
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CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, 28 October 2025 – New Zealand and Australian companies developing and
deploying liquid-hydrogen technologies to enable Australasia’s first hydrogen-electric flights have made a
significant step forward in the transition to zero-emission aviation.
Fabrum, AMSL Aero, and Stralis Aircraft have successfully filled pioneering aviation tanks with liquid hydrogen
produced and stored on-site for the first time at an international airport in preparation for pre-flight testing.
Video footage of the testing is available here: https://youtu.be/AHY2zAKjIqE.
Fabrum designed and manufactured the advanced composite liquid-hydrogen tanks for the aircraft companies
AMSL Aero and Stralis Aircraft. The refuelling was successfully completed at Fabrum’s dedicated liquid-
hydrogen test facility at Christchurch Airport, developed in partnership with the airport at its renewable energy
precinct.
Christopher Boyle, Managing Director of Christchurch-based Fabrum, a world leader in zero-emission
transition technologies, said: “Our lightweight composite tanks, together with our hydrogen liquefier and
refuelling systems, are critical enablers for hydrogen-powered flight. By bringing all the elements together for
the first time on site at an international airport - producing, storing, and dispensing liquid hydrogen into
composite aviation tanks as a fuel - we’re proving that liquid-hydrogen technologies for aircraft are now
available and that hydrogen-electric flight will soon be a reality in Australasia.”
Dr Adriano Di Pietro, CEO of Sydney-based AMSL Aero, the developer of the world-leading hydrogen-electric
vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft Vertiia, said: “Vertiia is the world’s first eVTOL designed from
inception to be powered by hydrogen for long-range, cargo and passenger operations. Vertiia must be as light
as possible to achieve its 1,000 km range, 500kg payload and 300 km/h cruising speed. Liquid hydrogen is the
lightest zero-emission method of storing energy for long-distance flight; no other technology currently comes
close. We often get asked, ‘You are flying Vertiia and are developing an end-to-end hydrogen system, but what
else needs to happen to make Vertiia fly on liquid hydrogen?’ Today, with Fabrum, we have demonstrated the
key steps in that process: from producing liquid hydrogen, to filling our ground transport container, then filling
the tanks that we will install to our aircraft before our first liquid hydrogen flights next year. This is a major
milestone.”
Bob Criner, CEO of Brisbane-based Stralis Aircraft, a developer of high-performance, low-operating-cost
hydrogen-electric propulsion systems, said: "It’s fantastic to see more of Fabrum’s hydrogen technologies
unveiled and tested. We are working with Fabrum to develop onboard tanks for our fixed-wing test aircraft to
supply hydrogen to our hydrogen-electric propulsion system. We’re excited to see Fabrum’s hydrogen fuel
dispensing systems for these onboard tanks proven out in testing. This is a vital step toward our first liquid
hydrogen test flights.”
Christchurch Airport CEO Justin Watson said, "It’s fantastic to welcome aviation industry leaders paving the
way for a transition to a low-emissions future here at the airport. Christchurch Airport continues to play a
leadership role in advancing zero-emission infrastructure, positioning the airport to support liquid-hydrogen
aviation.”
Pioneering liquid hydrogen technologies unveiled
Christopher Boyle says that Fabrum, AMSL Aero and Stralis Aircraft are demonstrating that liquid-hydrogen
fuel is a credible alternative for the aviation industry. The pioneering liquid-hydrogen technologies and ground-
breaking aviation projects in the spotlight at the testing event included:
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• Fabrum – triple-skin aviation fuel tanks: Fabrum unveiled a triple-skin composite onboard tank for
aviation applications at its airport test facility. Fabrum’s groundbreaking composite manufacturing
techniques are the culmination of over two decades of research and development in the fields of
cryogenics and composites. Its proprietary triple-skin liquid hydrogen tank technology provides enhanced
thermal insulation and fast refuelling compared to conventional double-skin tank designs, delivering up to
70% faster refuelling times and an 80% reduction in boil-off losses during refuelling.
• AMSL Aero - liquid-hydrogen storage Dewar and onboard aviation fuel tanks: AMSL Aero received
composite onboard aviation tanks developed by Fabrum, which will be installed on its Vertiia aircraft for
long-range flights. The cryogenic Dewar stores liquid hydrogen (with a boiling point much lower than room
temperature). Vertiia. Using hydrogen, Vertiia will achieve optimal range, payload, and speed.
• Stralis Aircraft – liquid-hydrogen storage Dewar and onboard aviation fuel tanks: Stralis Aircraft is
expanding its hydrogen technology portfolio with the procurement of a cryogenic Dewar for storing and
refuelling liquid hydrogen, complementing the onboard liquid hydrogen tanks and fuel system. The
company’s lightweight hydrogen-electric propulsion system will be powered by liquid hydrogen from
Fabrum’s cryogenic aviation tanks, which are mounted on the wings of Stralis’ fixed-wing test aircraft.
Stralis expects its hydrogen-electric propulsion system will enable travel up to ten times further than
battery-electric alternatives and save 20-50% on operational costs compared to fossil fuel. Its first
hydrogen test flight is expected to take off in Australasia within six months.
Industry collaboration
These hydrogen advancements stem from strong industry collaboration aimed at accelerating zero-emission
aviation. Fabrum, AMSL Aero, and Stralis Aircraft are members of the Hydrogen Flight Alliance in Australia,
which is advancing the development of hydrogen-electric flight. AMSL Aero was recently awarded a grant from
the Australian Government Department of Industry, Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) Program
for a ‘Liquid Hydrogen Powered Aircraft for Regional and Remote Australia’ project, with Fabrum among the
collaborators. Stralis Aircraft and Fabrum have also received support from Ara Ake, New Zealand’s future
energy centre, to fast-track hydrogen technology for Australasia’s first liquid-hydrogen-powered flight.
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Media Contact for AMSL Aero
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