In 2024, Swiss explorer Bertrand Piccard and French sailor Raphaël Dinelli announced plans to develop a non-stop hydrogen-powered aeroplane, and they established Climate Impulse.

Under its partnership with Orange, the telecom operator is expected to optimise flight routes in real time, while ensuring a secure link between the aircraft and control centre through post-quantum cryptography technologies.

Once the aircraft is operational, Orange will begin mapping routes using AI, according to Lyse Brillouet, the company’s Executive Director of Research.

Brillouet added, “Our unique digital twin solutions, powered by data from Climate Impulse and its partners, can guide explorers on their journey.”

Climate Impulse began construction of the aeroplane in 2024 and has manufactured initial aircraft parts this year.

In 2026, the company plans to attain permits to fly and conduct its first flight tests.

They expect to conclude these initial tests in 2027, ahead of the first non-stop hydrogen-powered flight around the world in 2028.

The aircraft will use liquid hydrogen onboard to power fuel cell technology provided by Ekpo Fuel Cell Technologies.

Despite ambitious plans, the Climate Impulse-Orange agreement comes at a time when liquid-hydrogen aviation has faced significant headwinds.

Several developers have struggled to stay afloat amid high capital costs and slow certification progress. Most notably, US-based Universal Hydrogen collapsed in 2024 after exhausting its cash reserves.