Teréga, a French gas pipeline and storage operator, started a pilot project with HyLight, a #HYDROVERSE start-up specialized in hydrogen-powered airships based in France.
What’s the challenge? Teréga wants to explore an environmentally friendly alternative to helicopters for the surveillance of their gas infrastructure: From Cazilhac to Narbonne to Claira – 107 km in total.
Why HyLight? HyLight’s airships are filled with helium, powered by e-motors that run through a hydrogen fuel cell, assisted by a buffer battery and remotely controlled. They run 7 hours with zero emissions.
How it’s going? The airship will carry out bimonthly flights screening the pipeline for leakages in addition to helicopters. The data will then be compared.
What are the benefits?
- reduced noise: operating in an altitude of only 20 – 30 meters and with its special motorization, HyLights airships are less noisy than helicopters
- no emissions: since it’s filled with helium & runs on renewable energy sources
- detection accuracy: low altitude combined with low speed allows for great precision, detecting risks before they become a problem
Only two years ago, in 2024, HyLight was part of our H2UB TARGET incubator program. It’s awesome to see how well they have performed since then.
Congratulations, HyLight, and all the best for your continued success!
Our sources:
- Picture by HyLight
- HyLight LinkedIn Post
- Teréga Newsroom, Feb. 2nd. 2026