Project DragonFly – Cryogenic Hydrogen Valves for Aerospace

A new valve aims to stop liquid hydrogen from leaking out of aircraft fuel systems. The project tackles a key barrier to the rollout of hydrogen-powered planes: current valves are too heavy, too bulky, or prone to dangerous external leakage through worn stems. Without a reliable, flight-ready valve, zero-emission hydrogen aviation cannot move beyond the drawing board. The project brings together Actuation Lab and Cranfield University to design a valve that meets real-world customer specifications. If successful, the DragonFly valve could enable hydrogen aircraft to carry fuel safely and efficiently, removing a critical bottleneck in the supply chain for clean aviation. This is not fundamental science—it is targeted engineering development aimed at a specific, practical component. The impact would be invisible to passengers but essential to the infrastructure of zero-emission flight: a fuel system that does not leak, does not fail, and does not add excessive weight.