Swiss explorer Bertrand Piccard has a new innovative aviation project up his sleeve. 

Together with his co-pilot André Borschberg, Piccard made headlines in 2016 after completing a global circumnavigation on the solar-powered Solar Impulse aircraft, a journey that took more than a year to complete in multiple stages. 

In a continued exploration of alternative, more sustainable technologies to propel the future of flight, Piccard aims to fly around the world again, but this time on a hydrogen-powered aircraft. 

This experimental aircraft project, called “Climate Impulse”, is a clear nod at his previous project, will use liquid hydrogen as fuel and is expected to be able to fly around the world at a height of 10,000 feet and without any stops in a matter of days. 

In parallel to this project, Piccard also confirmed that he has been in conversations with the promoters of another project in France, which aims to complete a global circumnavigation on a hydrogen-powered airship. As of May 2024, however, his tentative participation in that other project is not confirmed, and Piccard remains focused on developing the Climate Impulse aircraft. 

AeroTime interviewed Piccard on the sidelines of the EBACE executive aviation show in Geneva on May 28, 2024, in order to learn more about the Climate Impulse project.  

Watch the video below to find out more.