Date: 19 November, 2007
A new hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system, designed by Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies of Singapore, helped a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to fly 50% longer than the previous distance record for micro UAVs.
The micro UAV was was designed by two leading US aerospace research laboratories and supported by NASA, the Dryden Flight Research Center, the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the National Science Foundation. It set a new micro-UAV flight distance record of 78 miles (128km) in California, exceeding by 28 miles (40 km) the previous record set in 2006 in Estonia.
“Even more significant is that this flight record was achieved using only 25% of the hydrogen tank capacity stored onboard the aircraft,” said the engine manufacturer. “On a full tank of fuel, the aircraft’s flying range is 500 km (310 miles), enabling flights that are several times longer than previously recorded.”
The UAV project, named Pterosoar, was the result of a joint effort led by California State University of Los Angeles (fuel cell system testing and integration);Oklahoma State University Aerospace Engineering Laboratory (fuel cell aircraft development); Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies (fuel cell system) and Temasek Polytechnic of Singapore (system control electronics).
The name ‘Pterosoar’ was adopted and adapted because the nose of the aircraft incluydes some fuel cell cooling scoops that make the aircraft closely resemble a class of prehistoric creatures called Pterosaurs. Horizon’s new hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system creates highly efficient electrical power by reacting hydrogen and oxygen from the air without combustion.
Fuel cells enable longer flight times, quieter operation, less heat signature and higher reliability than batteries or other methods of propulsion for many UAVs. So far, however, very few fuel cells have been able to meet the very stringent size and weight requirements of UAVs.
Horizon’s fuel cell capability was also demonstrated earlier this year when it powered the 200km/h Hyfish jet wing UAV (designed by Smartfish GmbH in Switzerland) and integrated by the German Air and Space Institute (DLR).