News

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is working to ensure regulation keeps pace with hydrogen aviation technology, according to Helen Leadbetter, the CAA’s technical strategy lead for zero emissions flight. Leadbetter leads the CAA’s Hydrogen Challenge, a cross-industry programme addressing the safety and certification gaps facing hydrogen propulsion and will present on the initiative at the Aerospace Test & Development Show 2026. Leadbetter joined the CAA in June 2022 after working on the Aerospace Technology Institute’s FlyZero project and now oversees the Hydrogen Challenge alongside the Hydrogen Sandbox, a testing environment where organisations trial concepts and safety cases directly with the regulator. Her session, ‘The UK Civil Aviation Authority’s hydrogen challenge,’ takes place on 29 September 2026 in the Testing Forum. Here, Leadbetter talks about the regulatory and certification gaps facing hydrogen propulsion, the safety challenges unique to hydrogen fuel, and why she believes commercial hydrogen aviation by 2035 remains achievable.

Element Materials Technology, a global testing, inspection and certification specialist operating 275 laboratories worldwide, will be showcasing its aerospace and defence capabilities on stand 814 at this year’s Aerospace Test and Development Show. From its Toulouse centre of excellence, Element supports aerospace and defence programmes across their full lifecycle, and is expanding into new territory including batteries, fuel cells and mobile metrology services, while sponsoring the Future Propulsion Forum. Here, James Sizer, strategic marketing director for Aerospace and Defence EMEAA at Element, talks about the trends shaping demand for testing services, what visitors can expect on the stand, and the company’s plans for growth in the year ahead.

Freshta Farzam, CEO and Founder of LYTE Aviation, will present ‘Is a 40-seater hybrid hydrogen eVTOL realistic with today’s tech?’ at the Future Propulsion Forum during the Aerospace Test & Development Forum on 29 September 2026. The presentation will explore LYTE Aviation’s LA-44, a 40-seat hybrid-hydrogen eVTOL designed for regional passenger transport and heavy cargo operations. With a claimed 600-mile range and 4.5-tonne payload, the aircraft represents a significant departure from the low-payload, short-range eVTOLs currently dominating the advanced air mobility market. Farzam will discuss the aircraft’s tandem tilt-wing configuration, hybrid propulsion system combining SAF-powered turboprops with hydrogen fuel-cell electric engines, and the roadmap towards certification and commercial operation. Ahead of the event, she discusses why LYTE Aviation chose to pursue a larger aircraft from the outset, the technology behind the LA-44, its potential efficiency advantages, certification challenges, and the company’s ambitions for commercial operations from 2032.

Gantner Instruments, which combines more than four decades of expertise with modular, high-precision data acquisition for engine, structural, system-integration and environmental testing, will be on stand 415 at this year's Aerospace Test and Development Show. Here, Stephan Ploegman, business development manager at Gantner, talks about the trends shaping demand for testing services, what visitors can expect on the stand, and the company's plans for growth in the year ahead.

Leonardo is drawing on nature-inspired materials, quantum technologies and advanced composites to develop next-generation capabilities for defence applications, according to Evanthia Pappa, senior researcher at the Leonardo Innovation Hub. Pappa is a specialist in materials science and chemical engineering, with a particular focus on the manufacture, characterisation and optimisation of composite materials for aerospace and energy applications, and her research expertise spans biomimetics, nanomaterials and the mechanical behaviour of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) structures. Pappa will present an overview of the hub’s R&D achievements in defence applications at the Aerospace Test & Development Show 2026. Her session, ‘Leonardo Innovation Hub: Driving Next-Generation Capabilities for Defence Applications,’ takes place on 30 September 2026 in the Defence Testing Forum. Here, Pappa talks about the hub’s role within the wider Leonardo group, the latest advances in composite materials, and how nature-inspired research is shaping future defence capabilities.

The increasing use of ‘system-of-systems’ (SoS) concepts, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), autonomy and AI is changing the way defence capabilities are developed and tested, according to Thomas Grohs, Head of Unmanned Aerial Systems at Airbus Defence and Space. On 30 September, Grohs will present on the changing test and verification landscape at the Defence Testing Forum during the Aerospace Test & Development Show 2026. His presentation, ‘Testing in the Age of System of System, UAS, Autonomy and AI’, will examine the links between operational needs, product solutions and the associated test and verification requirements. As defence forces seek to adapt more quickly to an evolving threat environment, Grohs highlights SoS concepts, faster development cycles for unmanned systems, and software-driven functionality in areas such as autonomy and AI as key elements of this shift. Here, Grohs discusses why SoS approaches are becoming increasingly important, how unmanned systems change development and testing, and why Live, Virtual and Constructive environments, simulation and digital verification will play an important role in future defence testing.

Siemens Digital Industries Software will be exhibiting on Stand 408 in the Aerospace Test & Development exhibition hall, where visitors can explore the company’s latest capabilities for aerospace testing and validation. Cristina Sousa, Sales Specialised Physical Testing Solutions, and Raphaël Hallez, Senior Test Industry Specialist for Aerospace, will represent the company at the event. Hallez will also speak at the Defence Testing Forum on 30 September 2026, presenting ‘Advancing defence aircraft validation through mission-representative testing’. The presentation will examine how physical testing can provide accurate, realistic insight into increasingly complex defence aircraft while meeting demanding development schedules, with a focus on ground vibration testing, multi-physics measurement and dynamic environmental testing. Ahead of the show, Sousa and Hallez discuss Siemens’ role in aerospace test and development, the company’s Ground Vibration Test demonstration and latest Simcenter Testlab capabilities, and the trends driving demand for integrated testing and simulation. They also look ahead to the company’s future plans and explain why the Aerospace Test & Development Show remains an important meeting point for the aerospace testing community.

HBK, which helps aerospace engineering teams accelerate validation and make more confident engineering decisions through Smart Testing, will be on stand 608 at this year’s Aerospace Test and Development (AT&D) Show. By connecting physical testing, virtual simulation and real-time engineering insight, Smart Testing reduces complexity, increases confidence in test data, and enables teams to move from measurement to decision faster. At AT&D 2026, HBK will demonstrate how its integrated portfolio, including its recently launched Fusion MX data acquisition system, advanced sensors, analysis and simulation solutions, supports structural testing, durability validation and next-generation aerospace development programmes. Here, Ben Bryson, president of HBK, talks about the trends shaping demand for testing services, what visitors can expect on the stand, and the company’s plans for growth in the year ahead.

AURA AERO is applying the agility and technology built through its civil aircraft programmes to develop scalable, sovereign platforms for the defence sector, according to Jérémy Caussade, co-founder, president and chief engineer of the company. Caussade co-founded AURA AERO in 2018 alongside Wilfried Dufaud and Fabien Raison, with the ambition of designing electric and hybrid aircraft that are both high-performing and environmentally friendly. The company’s two-seater Integral, built for training and aerobatics, marked its first milestone, while the 19-seater ERA (Electric Regional Aircraft) is due to make its maiden flight in 2027. Caussade will outline the company’s strategic vision for defence at the Aerospace Test & Development Show 2026. His session, ‘AURA AERO: A Strategic Vision for Defence,’ takes place on 30 September 2026 in the Defence Testing Forum. Here, Caussade talks about how AURA AERO’s civil aviation technology transfers to military applications, why sovereignty is central to its strategy, and the role electric and hybrid propulsion could play in future defence platforms.