China says the AEP100, a megawatt-class hydrogen-fueled turboprop engine developed by the Aero Engine Corporation of China, has completed its maiden flight on a 7.5-tonne unmanned cargo aircraft in Zhuzhou, Hunan. The 16-minute test covered 36km at 220km/h and 300 meters altitude, with the aircraft returning safely after completing its planned maneuvers. State media described it as the world’s first test flight of a megawatt-class hydrogen-fueled turboprop engine.
This was a short, low-altitude unmanned demonstration, not a commercial breakthrough, but it does move hydrogen aviation propulsion beyond lab work and ground testing into real flight conditions. AECC says the result shows China now has a full technical chain for hydrogen aviation engines, from core parts to system integration, which is the kind of capability needed before any industrial rollout can begin.
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