H2eVTOL Council Now HYSKY Society

The Fairfax, Virginia-based Vertical Flight Society is a non-profit technical society committed to the advancement of vertical flight. The Society comprises over one-hundred corporate and 28 educational members, and advocates on behalf of rotorcraft technology to the public and to government bodies.

On 20 January 2023, the Vertical Flight Society announced its H2eVTOL Council—an open forum for hydrogen in aeronautics powertrain applications—had been spun off into an independent non-profit organization to be known henceforth as the HYSKY Society.

Formed in 2020 to promote the development and advancement of hydrogen fuel-cell technology in electric aircraft, the Vertical Flight Society’s Hydrogen-Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (H2eVTOL) Council has grown to over four-hundred participants and evolved into a leading voice in the hydrogen-electric aviation community.

The HYSKY Society will focus on the advancement of hydrogen fuel-cell technology in the eVTOL sector, but will have sufficient autonomy and resources to expand its reach and impact. The H2eVTOL Council’s monthly meetings will now be known as HYSKY Monthly and will feature distinguished speakers from the hydrogen, aviation and eVTOL aircraft sectors.

The HYSKY Society is founded and led by Danielle McLean, an expert in the field of hydrogen fuel-cell technology and eVTOL aircraft. Ms. McLean’s credentials include over a decade of industry experience and a widely-known passion for advancing clean and sustainable transportation solutions.

Vertical Flight Society executive director Mike Hirschberg states: “We are thrilled to see the H2eVTOL Council, started in May 2020 by VFS member Danielle McLean, now grow and evolve into its own independent organization. The HYSKY Society, under Danielle’s leadership, will continue to be a vital partner of the Vertical Flight Society and we look forward to working together to advance the eVTOL industry.”

The HYSKY Society’s mission is to promote the development and advancement of hydrogen fuel-cell technology in eVTOL aircraft, and to advocate for the use of hydrogen as a clean, sustainable, and safe energy source for the aviation industry. The organization will also work to educate and inform the public about the benefits of hydrogen-powered eVTOL aircraft and the role such contraptions will play in shaping the future of transportation.

The VFS will presently host its highly anticipated Tenth Biennial Autonomous VTOL Technical Meeting and Tenth Annual Electric VTOL Symposium. The event features noteworthy speakers and panel discussions from the aerospace industry, including Ms. McLean, who will be hosting the event’s annual Hydrogen Electric Aircraft Panel with representatives from the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Piasecki Aircraft, and ZeroAvia. Owing to its popularity, the in-person event is sold out; virtual tickets, however, remain available at  www.vtol.org/eVTOL2023 for individuals interested in participating remotely.

The HYSKY Society, a 501(c)(3) charitable educational non-profit, is now officially open for memberships and is accepting donations. Parties seeking to learn more about or donate to the organization are invited to visit the HYSKY Society website.

FMI: www.hysky.org