ABOUT
INNOVATION

Within NXT Airport, innovative projects are being looked at. Consider possibilities and opportunities for emission-free handling, hydrogen refuelling stations and Groningen Airport Eelde as a ”Hydrogen Valley Airport”. There is also a focus on unmanned aviation systems: the integration between manned and unmanned flying. Think of projects such as cargo drone development and passenger transport with drones. Aviation 2.0, in other words.

Dronehub

The Aviation 2.0 theme includes Drone traffic and integration with existing air traffic. NXT Airport will stimulate the Dronehub. Potential NXT Airport partners such as NAC and NLR contribute to research, innovation and development in this area. NXT Airport contributes to the further development of the Dronehub, working with the Inspectorate for the Environment and Transport and Air Traffic Control the Netherlands to adapt laws and regulations. Stichting Dronehub Noord-Nederland additionally benefits the Groningen Airport Eelde test site with a focus on laws and regulations and is a knowledge base on the integration of manned and unmanned traffic.

Electrification teaching aircraft Flight schools

Electrification of teaching aircraft Flying schools such as KLM Flight Academy are working with educational institutions and other parties within NXT Airport on electrification of the teaching fleet. KLM Flight Academy’s ambition is to achieve this in the next five years, for its single-engine fleet of 13 aircraft. Indeed, its circuit flights lend themselves perfectly to electrification. The remaining (twin-engine) aircraft will fly on Sustainable Aviaition Fuel (SAF) as much as possible, in cooperation with potential partners such as SkyNRG and Shell Aviation.

Power Up

Possibilities of electric flying

Power Up is a partnership between Eindhoven Airport, Rotterdam The Hague Airport, Groningen Airport Eelde and Maastricht Aachen Airport. They have joined forces to learn more about the possibilities of electric flying. The four airports are supported in this by Royal Schiphol Group and the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR).

Pen Em

Pen Em is an airline in formation of, among others, some former Transavia employees that has set up in RLS1957 at the airport. It is starting a feasibility study into electric flying at Groningen Airport Eelde; bringing sustainable aviation to the north. The focus is on hydrogen application. Parties involved are the Provinces of Groningen and Drenthe, the Municipality of Groningen and the Municipality of Tynaarlo, NOM, the University of Groningen and the parties that will conduct the feasibility study . Besides PEN-EM, these are Groningen Airport Eelde, DroneHubGAE (for research (b)), New Energy Coalition, and M3 Consultancy with coordination by hive.mobility.