The Canadian Advanced Air Mobility (CAAM) today reported that Unither Bioélectronique (UB) has completed the world’s first piloted hydrogen-electric helicopter circuit flight. “Conducted April 10, 2026, at Roland-Désourdy Airport in Bromont, Québec, with UB test pilot Ric Webb at the controls, the flight marks the next step in Project Proticity™, a hydrogen-electric helicopter development program led by Unither Bioélectronique, in collaboration with Robinson Helicopter Company,” said the CAAM report.
“The flight advanced UB’s hydrogen-electric helicopter testing from hover demonstration to a full airport traffic circuit, including controlled takeoff, climb, pattern flight, approach, and landing. The flight was conducted under an experimental flight permit, using a Robinson R44 test aircraft equipped with a hydrogen-electric PEM fuel-cell-battery architecture and powered by locally produced green hydrogen.”
“The flight builds on UB’s earlier world firsts completed in March 2025: the world’s first flight demonstration of a piloted hydrogen-powered helicopter, Canada’s first piloted hydrogen-powered flight, and the successful validation of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) hydrogen fuel cell technology to support the demanding power requirements of a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) powered-lift profile.”
The test flight was conducted as part of Project Proticity™, a collaboration between UB and Torrance, California-based Robinson Helicopter Company, announced in August 2024. Project Proticity aims to accelerate the development of zero-emission helicopters based on Robinson’s proven R44 and R66 helicopter models. Robinson is contributing engineering, technical, and regulatory expertise as UB advances testing toward future certification pathways with Transport Canada Civil Aviation and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.
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