Image courtesy ZeroAvia 
 
The P-1 follows issuance of the FAA G-1 in February 2025 and documents the special conditions applicable to ZeroAvia’s novel electric propulsion technology to be addressed in the certification process with the US regulator. Once the FAA’s Special Conditions rule is finalised and published in the Federal Register, the means of compliance for the innovative EPS meeting those conditions will be determined in the next certification stage. 

 
Progressing from the G-1 to the P-1 marks another milestone both on the journey toward certification of ZeroAvia’s EPS with the US regulator and also on the path toward certifying the company’s first fully hydrogen-electric powertrain with the UK Civil Aviation Authority.  
 
ZeroAvia’s 600kW EPS combines the company’s proprietary inverter and electric motor technology to deliver a highly efficient electric engine with exceptional fault tolerance and specific power. The 600kW EPS system comprises four ZeroAvia 200kW continuous power bidirectional inverters converting DC power to AC to supply ZeroAvia’s direct drive motor, capable of 2,200 rpm.  
 
ZeroAvia launched a component offering in May 2024 to serve the market for novel electric air transport applications. Potential applications for the 600kW EPS include battery, hybrid and fuel cell electric fixed-wing aircraft, rotorcraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV’s).   
 
The electric propulsion system is one part of ZeroAvia’s deep portfolio of hydrogen and electric aviation technology, resulting from the company’s strong commitment to vertical integration. ZeroAvia’s complete ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain, designed for up to 20-seat commercial aircraft, combines the EPS with a hydrogen fuel cell power generation system (PGS).  
 
ZeroAvia has already tested a prototype of the ZA600 hydrogen-electric engine aboard a Dornier 228 aircraft at its UK base. The company also has an engineering partnership with Textron Aviation as it looks to secure a supplemental type certificate for the Cessna Grand Caravan as the launch airframe for the ZA600. 

Also, in May, the company announced RVL Aviation as its UK launch customer for the world’s first hydrogen-electric commercial service route.    
 
Val Miftakhov, Founder & CEO, ZeroAvia said: “Getting this electric propulsion system certified and into service will be a monumental leap in the next great transition in aviation: from fossil fuel combustion to electric aviation. Electrifying aviation will deliver a step change in efficiency plus steep reductions in operating costs by overcoming volatile fuel prices and the costly maintenance of complex, high-intensity combustion engines.   
 
“Air travel has been bringing the world together for more than a century but we can do better for passengers trying to get to and from underserved communities, hours away from a hub airport. ZeroAvia and others in advanced air mobility are laying the groundwork to connect more people, more affordably and to more places.”