Hydrogen flight startup ZeroAvia announced on March 25, 2025, that it has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant by the US Department of the Air Force (DAF).
The project that is the object of this grant aims to evaluate the integration of hydrogen propulsion into a Cessna Caravan aircraft that would also be fitted with automated flight technology.
Hydrogen-electric propulsion would confer a reduced noise and thermal signature to the retrofitted 8,000 lb. (3.6 ton) autonomous aircraft, enhancing its mission survivability in certain operational situations.
In this regard, ZeroAvia will contribute to the project its know-how in the development of hydrogen fuel cell powertrains, while Reliable Robotics, a Silicon Valley startup developing automated flight systems, will take care of the autonomous flight aspects of the program.
The grant is being channeled through the AFWERX program, which aims to evaluate military applications for several new aerospace technologies.
Several prominent advanced air mobility startups, including Joby Aviation, Archer Aviation and BETA Technologies, are taking part in the AFWERX program, something that may open the door of US defense contracts in the future.