Hydrogen powered drone

[SilverStone641]

Most drones, or at least those designed for commercial use, need to be recharged after a 20-minute flight. This new hydrogen-powered drone, could spend up to 2-hours in the sky, and be refueled near instantly upon landing. This particular model was created by the research team at Intelligent Energy, who installed a hydrogen fuel cell, weight just 3.5-pounds (fuel included) onto a DJI Matrice 100 quadcopter.

 

[Passizle]

Flying flammable fuel tank? The FAA would would restrict the heck outta that in the USA.

 

[just_a_joe]

As long as its not made like the Hindenburg, I'm cool with it.

 

[BigAl07]

Flying flammable fuel tank? The FAA would would restrict the heck outta that in the USA.

Not really. There have been Gasoline powered R/C aircraft flying for years now.

This could be a game changer if the cost, weight, and safety were to be optimized.

 

[CactusJackSlade]

I could see this for commercial application (surveying, mapping, extended video/photo shoots) - this is expensive technology right now... Most flyers have more than one battery. If you have 5 batteries and one on the charger at all times you can fly indefinitely... of course you need to stop and change batteries.

 

[kennedye]

I would think a hydrogen fuel cell safe enough to install in a quadcopter would be pretty heave, wouldn't it?

 

[Imabiggles]

Flying flammable fuel tank? The FAA would would restrict the heck outta that in the USA.

why? lots of flammable fuel tanks in RC.

 

[With The Birds]

I would think a hydrogen fuel cell safe enough to install in a quadcopter would be pretty heave, wouldn't it?

3.5 lb fuel cell including fuel in this case