KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 (Bernama) -- HYCOPTER, the world's first hydrogen
fuel cell powered multi-rotor UAV is being readied for a record flight
endurance for four hours, or around eight to 10 times of the average
flight duration of equivalent systems.
Horizon Unmanned Systems (HUS), a Singaporean company, has unveiled the
rotorcraft today, said a statement issued in Atlanta, the United
States.
HYCOPTER makes use of its frame structure to store energy in the form
of hydrogen instead of air, eliminating energy storage weight. With less
lift power required, its ultra-light fuel cell turns the hydrogen in
its frame into electricity to power its rotors.
With HUS' breakthrough technology, today's 20-30 minute multi-rotor
missions shift to a new paradigm with flights lasting several hours at a
time. Aerial survey jobs will become materially cheaper, faster and
drone delivery over longer distances, more feasible.
HYCOPTER's special fuel cell was designed by sister company Horizon
Energy Systems (HES), which recently announced a new 700Wh/kg solid
hydrogen storage system.
Newly formed Horizon Unmanned Systems brings together years of
knowledge in energy storage optimization, composites, as well as a new
breed of autonomous navigation technologies, to show the way forward on
innovation in mini-electric UAVs.
"By removing the design silos that typically separate the energy
storage component from UAV frame development - we opened up a whole new
category in the drone market, in-between battery and combustion engine
systems.
"HYCOPTER is the first result of our efforts and we intend to
demonstrate many more platform innovations in the coming months,"
explained Taras Wankewycz, CEO at Horizon in the same statement.
HYCOPTER will be on display starting today at booth 401 at the May 4-7 AUVSI trade show in Atlanta.
-- BERNAMA
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v8/newsindex.php?id=1132332
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