ZEROe concept aircraft
ZEROe is an Airbus concept aircraft. Credit: Airbus S.A.S.

Aerospace and defence company Airbus has unveiled three new zero-emission commercial aircraft concepts.

Codenamed ‘ZEROe’, the three aircraft concepts are expected to enter service by 2035.

Each of these concepts depends on hydrogen as a primary power source and offer distinctive approaches to reach zero-emission flight through several technologies and aerodynamic configurations.

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said: “This is a historic moment for the commercial aviation sector as a whole and we intend to play a leading role in the most important transition this industry has ever seen.

“The concepts we unveil today offer the world a glimpse of our ambition to drive a bold vision for the future of zero-emission flight.

“I strongly believe that the use of hydrogen – both in synthetic fuels and as a primary power source for commercial aircraft – has the potential to significantly reduce aviation’s climate impact.”

The first two concepts include turbofan design to fly within a range exceeding 2,000nm ferrying 120-200 passengers and a turboprop design that uses turboprop engine and can carry up to 100 passengers for more than 1,000nm.

The third concept, ‘a blended-wing body’, is designed to carry up to 200 passengers and has its wings merged with the main body of the aircraft.

In July, Airbus Helicopters’ VSR700 unmanned aerial system (UAS) prototype successfully conducted its maiden free flight at a drone test centre near Aix-en-Provence in France.