The aerospace and defense industry continues to be a hotbed of patent innovation. Activity is driven by environmental sustainability, electrification, and operational efficiency, and the growing importance of technologies such as hydrogen and electric aircraft and advanced materials. In the last three years alone, there have been over 237,000 patents filed and granted in the aerospace and defense industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Hydrogen in defense: hybrid hydrogen-electric powertrainBuy the report here.

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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 206,000 patents to analyze innovation intensity for the aerospace and defense industry, there are 110 innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.

Hybrid hydrogen-electric powertrain is a key innovation area in hydrogen

A hybrid hydrogen-electric powertrain is a propulsion system that combines the benefits of both hydrogen fuel cells and electric batteries to power a vehicle. Hydrogen fuel cells generate electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen while emitting only water vapor as exhaust, and electric batteries store electrical energy for later use. This combination allows for a more efficient and environmentally friendly means of transportation.

GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 100+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established aerospace and defense companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of hybrid hydrogen-electric powertrain.

Key players in hybrid hydrogen-electric powertrain – a disruptive innovation in the aerospace and defense industry

‘Application diversity’ measures the number of applications identified for each patent. It broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.   

‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of countries each patent is registered in. It reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.  

Patent volumes related to hybrid hydrogen-electric powertrain

Company Total patents (2021 - 2023) Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies
Liebherr-International 23 Unlock Company Profile
Rolls-Royce 17 Unlock Company Profile
Diehl Stiftung 19 Unlock Company Profile
Thales 12 Unlock Company Profile
Melrose Industries 15 Unlock Company Profile
Toyota Motor 37 Unlock Company Profile
IHI 53 Unlock Company Profile
NACCO Materials Handling Group 8 Unlock Company Profile
Lynntech 6 Unlock Company Profile
Siemens 37 Unlock Company Profile
Hyundai Motor 25 Unlock Company Profile
CEA 264 Unlock Company Profile
Naval Group 26 Unlock Company Profile
Snecma 8 Unlock Company Profile
General Electric 48 Unlock Company Profile
U.S. Department of Defence 26 Unlock Company Profile
ThyssenKrupp 37 Unlock Company Profile
BAE Systems 20 Unlock Company Profile
Porsche Automobil 14 Unlock Company Profile
Raytheon Technologies 136 Unlock Company Profile
Ballard Power Systems 8 Unlock Company Profile
Doosan 35 Unlock Company Profile
Aviva 6 Unlock Company Profile
Textron 18 Unlock Company Profile
Safran 119 Unlock Company Profile
Boeing 111 Unlock Company Profile
Korea Development Bank 41 Unlock Company Profile
LG 10 Unlock Company Profile
Airbus 334 Unlock Company Profile
Commissariat a l'Energie et aux Energies Alternatives 18 Unlock Company Profile
Honeywell International 7 Unlock Company Profile
Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt 7 Unlock Company Profile
Kia 9 Unlock Company Profile
Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering 11 Unlock Company Profile
Zodiac Seats France 9 Unlock Company Profile
SZ DJI Technology 9 Unlock Company Profile
EADS Deutschland 12 Unlock Company Profile
Meditor European Master Fund 30 Unlock Company Profile
Solar Ship 15 Unlock Company Profile
ArianeGroup 18 Unlock Company Profile
Aurora Innovation 8 Unlock Company Profile
Linde 9 Unlock Company Profile
HD Hyundai 46 Unlock Company Profile
X Development 8 Unlock Company Profile
ZeroAvia 10 Unlock Company Profile
Centre National Research Scientific 6 Unlock Company Profile
Spawnt 6 Unlock Company Profile
Universal Hydrogen 19 Unlock Company Profile
PowiDian 9 Unlock Company Profile
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission 335 Unlock Company Profile

Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics

Airbus is one of the leading patent filers in electric-hydrogen powertrain. The company is at the forefront of innovation in alternative propulsion systems and hybrid powered aircraft. It unveiled a fuel cell-powered aircraft engine called ZEROe in November 2022. Expected to enter commercial service by 2035, the low-carbon engine will use hydrogen as a power source for aircraft propulsion. The engine design incorporates a hydrogen gas turbine, which can be paired with fuel cells instead of batteries in a hybrid-electric architecture, with fuel cells converting hydrogen into electricity to propel the engine.  

Some other key patent filers in the hybrid electric aircraft space include Raytheon Technologies, Safran, and Boeing.  

In terms of application diversity Zodiac Seats France, Solar Ship, and Rolls-Royce are some of the leading innovators. By means of geographic reach, the leading patent filers include Thales, Solar Ship, and Safran.

To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the aerospace and defense industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Aerospace & Defense.

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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.

GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.