Queensland aerospace company Stralis Aircraft last week signed a research Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a Japanese research institution.
Stralis signed the MOU at Expo 2025 in Osaka to research clean aviation with the Joint Research Center for Electric Architecture, Akita University and Akita Prefectural University.
"I'm extremely excited to begin our collaboration with this world class team and facility in Akita," said Bob Criner, Co-Founder and CEO of Stralis Aircraft.
"Japan has been a global leader in aerospace and hydrogen innovation for decades. This partnership will accelerate our hydrogen aircraft technology development and facilitate skills and knowledge exchange between our organisations.
"It will also allow Stralis to create cutting-edge research and innovation jobs in Queensland, where our workforce is prepared to manufacture and export advanced aircraft technology in the future."
Stralis is developing hydrogen-electric fuel cells for GA aircraft in Brisbane, including technology to power an A36 Bonanza using a 240-kW electric motor drawing from Stralis fuel cells fed from wingtip tanks.
According to Stralis, their proprietary hydrogen-electric system is six times lighter than existing fuel cell solutions, enabling aircraft to fly 10 times further than battery-electric alternatives, and at half the cost of avgas-powered aeroplanes.
"We are pleased to sign this MoU with Stralis," said Junichi Sakaki, Director, Joint Research Center for Electric Architecture, Akita University / Akita Prefectural University.
"This collaboration in aircraft system electrification, using our testing facilities in Akita, represents a meaningful step in international technological cooperation.
"We look forward to contributing to both talent development and a more sustainable future."
Stralis says it is planning to fly a Bonanza hydrogen-electric demonstrator in Japan in late 2026.