08 October 2026

Côte d'Azur, airports prepare for hydrogen-powered business aviation

Beyond Aero and Aéroports de la Côte d'Azur are working on a phased infrastructure to accommodate the first hydrogen-electric business aircraft in the early 2030s. Cannes Mandelieu is the first airport under study

The Côte d'Azur is preparing for the arrival of hydrogen-powered business aviation. Beyond Aero and Aéroports de la Côte d'Azur have embarked on a new phase of their collaboration to define the operational and infrastructural conditions necessary to welcome, in the early 2030s, the first executive aircraft with hydrogen-electric propulsion at the airports of Nice, Côte d'Azur, Cannes, Mandelieu and Golfe de Saint-Tropez.

At the heart of the project is One, the business aircraft developed by Beyond Aero. The aircraft, designed to carry six to eight passengers, will use an electric propulsion system powered by hydrogen fuel cells. It is expected to enter service in the early 2030s.

Infrastructure and aircraft developed in parallel
Beyond Aero and Aéroports de la Côte d'Azur are studying different scenarios related to hydrogen supply, storage, distribution and refuelling operations, also evaluating their integration from a technical, operational, regulatory and economic point of view.

Compressed gaseous hydrogen as a first solution
The configuration currently considered more realistic is based on the use of compressed gaseous hydrogen, compatible with the architecture developed by Beyond Aero and with technologies already available on an industrial scale. The hypothesis under study envisages that the hydrogen will be produced outside the airport, possibly nearby, and then transported by tanker to a distribution station inside the airport.

Two possible solutions have been identified for refuelling aircraft . The first involves a fixed refuelling point, located near a parking area reserved for hydrogen aircraft. The second uses a mobile vehicle, which is responsible for transferring hydrogen from the distribution station directly to the aircraft. Both configurations have been designed to contain initial costs and allow for a gradual increase in capacity.

Cannes Mandelieu as the first test
Although the programme covers all three airports managed by the group, Cannes Mandelieu is currently considered the most suitable site for the first phase of study. The airport is one of the main business aviation hubs on the Côte d'Azur and is also one of the main gateways to Monaco, characteristics that make its traffic particularly representative of future operational scenarios for Beyond Aero One. The possible benefits in terms of reducing local emissions and noise will also be assessed, two aspects that are particularly relevant for airports located in densely urbanised areas and characterised by heavy business aviation traffic.

If the planned calendar is respected, the early 2030s could mark the beginning of a new phase for business aviation on the Côte d'Azur, with Cannes Mandelieu, Nice and Golfe de Saint-Tropez among the first European airports to concretely prepare for the arrival of hydrogen-powered executive aircraft.

By the editorial staff, Avion Luxury Magazine

Text source: Nice Côte d'Azur Airport Press