Rolls-Royce and partners achieve hydrogen-powered aviation first

Rolls-Royce have achieved a major milestone in the hydrogen propulsion programme. First announced by Rolls-Royce and easyJet in 2022, TCS joined the programme in 2024, bringing its engineering and technology capabilities in the areas of development, testing and validation.

Rolls-Royce and TCS have – in an industry first – demonstrated the successful operation of a modern aero gas turbine across a fully simulated flight cycle using 100% hydrogen.

The test is the culmination of a four-year programme to prove hydrogen’s potential as a future aviation fuel. Operated using 100% hydrogen, the modified engine successfully completed a flight cycle demonstration, including take-off, cruise and landing. The tests validated critical hydrogen propulsion technologies across combustion, fuel systems and engine controls.

Accelerating the delivery of hydrogen propulsion

TCS provided Rolls-Royce with engineering expertise that helped fast-track the development, testing and successful delivery of the hydrogen propulsion programme, supporting critical areas including fuel system and engine controls integration, hydrogen combustion analysis, test preparation, validation, data analytics, risk management and detailed design.

Adam Newman, Chief Engineer, Hydrogen Demonstrator Programme, Rolls-Royce, said: “The programme marks an important milestone in our journey towards more sustainable aviation. Through a rigorous and carefully staged testing approach, we have gained valuable insights into how 100% hydrogen behaves in a modern aero gas turbine across a full flight cycle while validating critical combustion, fuel and control system technologies. TCS has been a trusted partner throughout this programme. The learnings from this initiative will support future propulsion innovations, including UltraFan and strengthen our confidence that gas turbine technology can continue to play an important role in the future of sustainable flight.”

Anupam Singhal, President – Manufacturing, Tata Consultancy Services, said: “This milestone reflects what becomes possible when advanced engineering is combined with digital capabilities and deep ecosystem collaboration to move breakthrough innovation closer to the real world. At TCS, we are proud to support Rolls-Royce in accelerating hydrogen propulsion through integrated engineering, systems and software expertise. This achievement marks a significant step forward, demonstrating not just the viability of hydrogen but the industry’s readiness to translate ambition into execution.”

How harnessing technology brings us closer to lower CO₂ emissions

The partnership with Rolls-Royce underscores TCS’ efforts towards driving sustainable transformation across industries, aligning with its broader mission to harness technology for positive societal impact.

Aviation currently accounts for approximately 2–3% of global CO₂ emissions, and hydrogen-powered propulsion technologies have the potential to eliminate in-flight CO₂ emissions when deployed at scale. The success of this demonstration marks a significant step towards enabling lower-carbon aviation.

The demonstration brought together expertise from across the aviation ecosystem, with Rolls-Royce and TCS working alongside easyJet, NASA, the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and other industry partners to bring hydrogen-powered flight a step closer to reality.

The programme provides one of the clearest demonstrations to date of how hydrogen could power future aircraft engines. The knowledge gained from this programme will be the bedrock that will help inform future propulsion technologies and support the aviation industry’s transition towards low-carbon air travel. Building on this milestone, TCS will continue working with Rolls-Royce to advance hydrogen-powered aviation technologies.