Fuel Cell Powered Drone

The grim future of america s transportation system.

Fuel cell powered drone. Is the technology mature. 3 8 4 bshark the hydrogen powered drone research company based in the british virgin islands has announced a hydrogen fuel cell drone with an entry price of usd 6 800. The future skies may be crowded with drones. A longer flight duration will open up new ua v applications as well as improving current capabilities.

Learn how hydrogen drones work and what benefits they offer over lipo powered drones. This drone could fly forever with wireless power. For drone operators using hydrogen fuel is less about the environmental benefits and more about lowering operational expenses. Fuel cell power technology is well known and proven.

Tiny hydrogen fuel cells could be a game changer. A proton conducting polymer membrane separates two electrodes an anode and a cathode. Intelligent energy s air cooled fuel cell systems run on hydrogen and ambient air to produce clean dc power in a simple cost effective robust and lightweight package. In conventional drones operators must swap out.

The mfd 3000 hydrogen fuel cell edition uses a 2 4kw hydrogen fuel cell created by intelligent energy presenting another case of a drone being configured so that it can be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. The majority of commercial drones on today s market are powered by lipo batteries but hydrogen fuel cells are making advances as an alternative fuel source for drones. Ballard power systems is a leading global provider of zero emission hydrogen fuel cell solutions for uavs bus truck rail and marine applications. A hydrogen air fuel cell with a proton exchange membrane pemfc is one of the most efficient perspective technologies of fuel cells.

The short answer is yes. See our video below to watch the 650w fuel cell power module in action. Bshark partnered with micromulticopter mmc a manufacturer of the first hydrogen powered drone hydrone 1550 to release the narwhal 2 its new hydrogen powered drone equipped with air cooled fuel. This project will develop a hydrogen fuel cell powered ua v with an hour s flight time carrying a 5kg payload and remaining below 20kg mtom take off weight.

Ballard s 40 years of fuel cell development and more than a decade of uav flight experience has enabled us to deliver fcair the complete hydrogen solution for commercial drone operations. When we discuss the technology s potential with package delivery companies and drone manufacturers they raise three concerns. Supported by innovate uk. Proven and reliable clean fuel solution.

As a result of highly efficient cold fuel combustion this electrochemical device generates electric power. Fuel cell powered drones are relatively new to the delivery industry.