The objective of the project is to develop an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) powered by hydrogen fuel cells and equipped with an innovative spherical tank design. The integration of this design into the drone platform is expected to result in significant enhancements in terms of flight duration, altitude, and efficiency.
The predominant energy source utilized by contemporary drone platforms is the lithium polymer battery. However, LiPo-based systems are unable to meet the demands of prolonged flight operations, such as search and rescue missions or the transportation of pharmaceuticals. To address this issue, hydrogen engines that can extend flight times by up to threefold have already been developed.
The project, conducted by the FH Kufstein Tirol in collaboration with FEN Research GmbH, Twins GmbH, and Wolftank Adisa GmbH, aims to expand the operational capabilities of hydrogen-powered drones. The integration of a spherical tank within the drone platform is intended to facilitate flight durations that are sixfold longer than those achievable by conventional LiPo-powered drones. Furthermore, operational scenarios such as swarm-based search operations and medication delivery are being evaluated.
