A South African–developed membrane electrode assembly (MEA) has been successfully validated inside a commercial, aviation-grade fuel cell stack for unmanned aircraft. Tested independently in Europe, the MEA matched—and on some metrics exceeded—the performance of incumbent commercial materials. This result marks a clear milestone: South African fuel cell technology has now proven itself beyond the laboratory, inside a real propulsion system intended for flight.
Why this matters
South Africa has both the incentive and the opportunity to lead in hydrogen-electric aviation. The country holds the world’s largest platinum-group-metal reserves—critical inputs for fuel cells—and has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Aviation remains one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise, contributing a meaningful share of global emissions while offering limited alternatives to liquid fuels. Hydrogen changes that equation.
This work aligns directly with South Africa’s national hydrogen and fuel cell strategy, supported by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and implemented through institutions such as the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI). Through this framework, programmes like Hydrogen South Africa (HySA) are mandated to translate world-class research into real industrial capability, localisation, and economic benefit.
At the same time, South Africa faces urgent and practical challenges that demand new airborne capabilities. Tens of billions of rand are lost annually to infrastructure theft and vandalism. Border security pressures continue to grow along vast, lightly monitored land borders, while the maritime domain faces increasing strain from illegal fishing and trafficking. These are wide-area, long-duration problems—poorly matched to short-endurance battery aircraft and prohibitively expensive to address with manned patrols.
Hydrogen-powered aviation also plays a critical role in making the green hydrogen economy real. Large-scale green hydrogen developments are underway or planned in regions such as Prieska, Coega, and Namibia. Aviation represents a technically credible, high-value off-taker for this hydrogen—turning locally produced renewable energy into persistent flight capability. For Africa, the prize is not only lower emissions, but lower operating costs and greater energy independence.
How this milestone was achieved
This result is the product of a focused collaboration, with each partner playing a distinct role.
The HySA Catalysis Centre of Competence, co-hosted by the University of Cape Town and Mintek and funded by DSTI and SANEDI, executed the research and development of the MEA, demonstrating South Africa’s depth of expertise in advanced fuel cell materials. FlyH2 Aerospace commissioned the membranes required for a commercial test stack, ensuring that the technology was validated under realistic operating conditions rather than academic benchmarks.
“This milestone continues to demonstrate South Africa’s capacity to engineer MEA technologies using local catalyst expertise for application across a range of fuel cell systems,” said Francois van Schalkwyk, Key Technology Specialist at HySA Catalysis, UCT.
Pragma Industries, based in France, supplied the commercial platform: an exceptionally light, compact open-cathode fuel cell stack optimised for UAV applications. FlyH2 selected Pragma’s stack architecture as the basis for its aircraft propulsion system, not only for its performance and cost-effectiveness, but also for Pragma’s willingness to support long-term localisation and technology transfer.
The successful test confirms that South African-developed MEAs can operate effectively inside one of the world’s leading UAV fuel cell stacks—an essential step toward locally developed, aviation-grade fuel cell systems.
“The collaboration between Pragma Industries, FlyH2, and UCT is extremely promising in terms of strengthening the critical supply chain for fuel cells, opening up new markets, and generating economic benefits. It is a strategic project at a key moment in the decarbonisation of aviation activities,” said Pierre Forté, CEO of Pragma Industries.
Dragonfly V: the aircraft behind the test
This milestone exists because it serves a real aircraft. Dragonfly V is FlyH2’s first product: a large, long-endurance unmanned aircraft with a 5.5-metre wingspan and an approximate 60-kilogram maximum take-off weight. While substantial by drone standards, Dragonfly V is intentionally a stepping stone toward hydrogen-electric manned aviation.
Hydrogen propulsion enables Dragonfly V to operate with ultra-low noise, minimal vibration, and a low thermal signature, while offering approximately 25-times the reliability of small internal combustion engines. The aircraft can trade payload for endurance—carrying up to 30 kilograms of sensors or flying for up to 22 hours—making it well suited to premium security and surveillance missions.
Designed from the outset for beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations, Dragonfly V can carry heavy sensor suites, sense-and-avoid systems, and satellite communications. This makes it particularly effective for infrastructure protection, border patrol, and maritime surveillance over vast areas where persistence matters more than speed.
How this test now plays out
With the MEA performance validated in a commercial aviation-grade stack, the programme moves from proof to scale. The next step is the procurement of two fuel cell stacks—each rated at 1.2 kW—for a combined 2.4 kW propulsion system, built using only HySA-developed MEAs. In parallel, FlyH2 and its partners are initiating a funded development programme to design and build a full-power, flight-ready hydrogen propulsion pod capable of powering the Dragonfly V aircraft.
This is a critical transition point. Moving from laboratory and bench-level validation to a full propulsion pod enables extended ground testing, system-level optimisation, and ultimately flight testing under real operational loads. It bridges the gap between technology validation and commercial deployment.
To support this step toward production, FlyH2 has selected renowned Knysna-based manufacturer Alti Unmanned to manufacture Dragonfly V airframes on behalf of FlyH2, ensuring repeatable quality, aerospace-grade processes, and a clear path to scaled production—pending successful fundraising.
What this unlocks
Validating a South African MEA inside a commercial UAV fuel cell stack opens a clear pathway forward. Over time, it enables lighter stacks, improved performance, reduced cost, and ultimately local production of aviation-grade fuel cell systems. Importantly, this achievement comes early in the development cycle—leaving substantial room for optimisation and performance gains.
For FlyH2, it strengthens the case for progressively localising fuel cell technology while continuing to deploy proven commercial systems in the near term. For South Africa, it demonstrates that advanced hydrogen technologies can move from research into real industrial application—supporting skills development, supply-chain localisation, and export-ready products.
A larger vision for accessible aviation
FlyH2’s ambition extends beyond unmanned systems. The company’s long-term goal is to help decarbonise aviation in Africa while making flight more accessible and affordable. Lower operating costs unlock new pathways—from self-launch gliders for recreational pilots, to electric trainers for aspiring aviators, to hydrogen-electric manned aircraft for regional operations.
“Validating hydrogen propulsion in unmanned systems is the first step toward hydrogen-powered regional aviation in Africa,” said Mark van Wyk, CEO of FlyH2 Aerospace.
Dragonfly V is the beginning, not the destination. This milestone confirms the direction of travel: locally relevant technology, validated in real aircraft, addressing real African challenges. And it is only the start.
