The biggest challenge of the Hy-Bird project is to design an airplane using renewable energy that emits no greenhouse gases and considerably reduces the noise pollution normally generated by planes.

The combination of two energies has proven to be the best solution to keep both the size of a leisure airplane and obtain a reasonable take-off weight. Indeed, a solar airplane would have a huge wingspan, while a hydrogen airplane would have a fuel cell system designed for the take-off phase that is too large and too heavy.

To achieve this goal, the Hy-Bird team is confronted with another constraint: use only existing technologies, previously and already developed and used in other industries. Therefore, the Hy-Bird team is surrounding itself with the strengths for the project through companies, laboratories, universities, and also individuals, each of which is specialized in a particular field.
Hy-Bird success will be entirely the result of this synergy. In this spirit, the Hy-Bird team works together with contractors but also partners wishing to share this extraordinary adventure.

Hy-Bird is a hybrid aircraft working with two renewable energies:

- Solar energy, through photovoltaic cells affixed on the wing and on the horizontal tial. Batteries store this energy in flight and on the ground to deliver it at the right time.

- Hydrogen, held in tanks, supplies a fuel cell. This fuel cell, by means of an electrochemical reaction controlled by hydrogen and oxygen, produces electricity.

The main role of the batteries is to complement the power of the fuel cells for all phases of takeoff and ascent and also at peak power. The fuel cell delivers, however, a continuous power corresponding to the energy needed to fly at cruising altitude.

Aircraft structure

The structure of aircraft chosen by LISA Airplanes to achieve the Hy-Bird is the AKOYA. This choice is not just a question of accessibility or ease. The AKOYA, the first aircraft designed by LISA Airplanes, has a good glide ratio and very efficient aerodynamics for a leisure aircraft. Thus, its energy consumption is very low. It is therefore a solid and appropriate basis for developing the Hy-Bird.

Solar cells

Continuing with our objective to use only existing technologies, we have associated ourselves with Trina Solar, a photovoltaic cells manufacturer.  The cells used in the Hy-Bird are monocrystalline and have a yield of 17%. This yield is sufficient for recharging the batteries.

Lithium-polymer batteries were chosen and are the most efficient technology currently on the market.

Fuel cell and hydrogen system

We have partnered with Hélion, a French company specialized in manufacturing fuel cells and hydrogen through electrolysis. The fuel cell supplied is a PEM and will deliver power between 15 and 20 kW to the engine, the same power used by the aircraft at cruising altitude.

The hydrogen tanks are made with composite materials, which considerably lighten the overall aircraft weight.

The hydrogen contained in the tanks comes from water electrolysis, produced from solar energy and/or wind energy. This process allows the plane to fly using only renewable energies.