Milestones:
Registered 30kg liquid hydrogen tank (June 2025)

Our Review:

Based in Australia, ASML Aero is taking a different approach to air taxis by using hydrogen instead of gasoline or electricity. This is a fuel that can provide the benefit of high-energy density, which means longer range. This makes traveling to remote areas of the outback more feasible. Especially with VTOL capability, landing without an airstrip is no problem. While less flashy than urban usage, this aircraft is suited for very specific missions, and could be an excellent replacement for more costly helicopters.

However, new fuel systems brings significant new challenges. Development of the liquid hydrogen tanks is the driving technology for this concept, and could still be a deal-breaker. Storing cryogenic tanks is challenging enough, but failure is not an option. Failure in the composite tanks, or boiling hydrogen would be catastrophic for any flight. So we’ll be keeping a close eye on the progress towards certifying the power systems.

The rest of the design has already flown in prototypes and resembles other concepts like the BlackFly. The Vertiia has 8 tilting rotors that allow transition from vertical flight to a more efficient cruise. We look forward to seeing more videos of that as they being flight testing with their new hydrogen tanks next year.

*Range, endurance, and max speed are reported by the manufacturer. These specifications are not yet verified by performance tests. Personal Air Mobility comments on these claims in engineering reviews, but does not independently verify their validity.