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 84,000 patents filed and granted in the aerospace and defense industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Environmental sustainability in defense: H2 powered rockets. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which uses over 260,000 patents to analyze innovation intensity for the aerospace and defense industry, there are 110 innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
H2 powered rockets is a key innovation area in environmental sustainability
Hydrogen (H2)-powered rockets refer to rockets that are powered by hydrogen gas as their fuel source. These rockets use electrochemical reactions, specifically electrolysis, to produce hydrogen gas, which is then used as a propellant in the rocket engines. The electrolysis process involves splitting water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen gases using an electric current. The hydrogen gas produced is then stored and used as fuel to power the rocket engines, providing thrust for propulsion.
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 665+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established aerospace and defense companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of H2 powered rockets.
Key players in H2 powered rockets – 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 H2 powered rockets
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Toshiba, Siemens, and Haldor Topsoe are the leading patent filers in H2 powered rockets. Some other key innovators in this space include Panasonic, the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, and Honda Motor.
In terms of application diversity, Haldor Topsoe, ThyssenKrupp, and Siemens are some of the leading innovators. By means of geographic reach, some of the leading patent filers include Rondo Energy, Aquahydrex and Nemaska Lithium.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the aerospace and defense industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Sustainability in Aerospace and 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.
