4th AERO Hydrogen & Battery Summit 21st and 22nd of April 2026

The fourth Aero Hydrogen & Battery Summit is part of the AERO Friedrichshafen event and is confirmed to take place on April 21 and 22, 2026. The symposium focuses on the transition to sustainable and CO2-free aviation by presenting practical solutions and applications.

Highly qualified experts from research, development, and industry will offer insights into the specified key areas:

• Advances in battery cell development and safety.
• Sustainable electromobility and new propulsion systems in aviation.
• Current hydrogen research and industry projects, including fuel cell development and their basic components.
• Examples of practical applications in both certified and under-development aircraft.

The summit serves as the international platform for discussing and overcoming the technological, material, and financial challenges on the path to climate neutrality in aviation by 2050. The leading trade fair AERO in Friedrichshafen runs from April 22-25, 2026, with the summit conferences starting a day earlier.

Batteries 

The aviation industry has set itself the goal of avoiding the use of hydrocarbons as much as possible in the future. Batteries would need to have almost sixty times the specific energy of kerosine to deliver the same performance. More than 4,000 charge and discharge cycles are required, but anything above 300 Wh/kg is currently considered ambitious. Will we soon see solid-state cells with up to 600 Wh/kg, and will these cells also become safer? Can AI accelerate development in all these processes? The path leads towards durable and fire-resistant solid-state cells and also away from lithium as much as possible. How? Find the answers at the AERO Summit.

Electric Drives 

No harmful CO2 emissions, reduced friction losses due to fewer bearings, reduced noise emissions, and lower weight compared to combustion engines are all advantages of electric motors. AI has also been instrumental in driving the development of electric motors, from power-to-weight ratios of 5 kW/kg to as high as 20 kW/kg, particularly for power outputs above 1 MW. This is thanks to optimized cooling, higher winding fill factors, and improved electronics. Cryogenic cooling systems for leads, control electronics, and optimized heat dissipation from the motor housings make these motors the perfect propulsion system for aviation, especially if turbocharged engines are to be replaced one day.

Fuel Cells 

Fuel cells were developed from the reverse process of electrolysis of water. Hydrogen is the “fuel” which reacts with the oxygen typically drawn from the air with water and heat as products.  The voltage does not exceed 1.0 volt per cell, and hence single cells are stacked to form a fuel cell stack to achieve a relevant voltage level. The supply of H₂ and O₂, taken from the air, requires extremely precise control of temperature and humidity, as well as volume control of the oxygen air compressor using sensors and valves. Furthermore, the heat dissipation is a crucial challenge for the entire fuel cell system. This is what makes fuel cell systems so complex. High-temperature systems could provide a solution. You can learn more about who is working on what at various presentations to get an idea of which fuel cell system fits into future aircraft.

Current state of development

No certification, no production! This applies to both fixed-wing aircraft and VTOLs. In addition to the usual EASA and FAA regulations for aircraft, electrically powered aircraft are subject to further regulations and safety measures. Currently, only RTX subsidiary Pipistrel holds international certification with its Velis. The Elektra Trainer motor glider from Elektra Solar is approved in the 600 kg class (UL). A fully certified powered aircraft is expected from the joint development by BRM and H55. Further and larger models of all types from Brazil, China, France, Great Britain, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and the USA are still in the development phase. This is in addition to student projects, which are generally classified as experimental aircraft. AERO and Summit offer the most comprehensive overview of these developments.