US looks to H2 cartridges to power drone flight

Known as FLASH (Fuel Additives for Solid Hydrogen), the one-year project will look to advance a new hydrogen carrier technology developed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) as part of a previous research programme. Honeywell said it will provide technological expertise, testing for the fuel cartridge technology, supply chain support, prototyping and fuel cell evaluation. According to the partners, H2 cartridges have the potential to dramatically boost the range of electrified UAVs, where battery power limits range and payload.

FLASH will seek to deliver an alternative approach whereby solid hydrogen storage is coupled to a fuel cell that converts hydrogen to electricity. The resulting system will enable long-range flights, but without the noise and tail-pipe emissions of combustion engines. It will also enable sensitive drone applications like atmospheric monitoring, where exhaust gases and engines could reduce performance.

“Today’s long-range drones are typically powered by internal combustion engines,” said Katherine Hurst, NREL senior scientist and group manager. “While they provide the required range that battery-powered electric UAVs lack, these engines have issues with excessive noise, vibration and emissions, including carbon emissions. This is an exciting opportunity to demonstrate the performance of hydrogen storage materials that we developed in our laboratory together with Honeywell to fuel a real-life flying vehicle.”

FLASH project will explore the properties of a solid material that can rapidly release hydrogen gas for use by the fuel cell. The material has a high hydrogen capacity and can operate at relatively  low temperatures of approximately 100°C. This class of materials is highly versatile to industrial hydrogen delivery requirements.

“Hydrogen can offer significant advantages for electric vertical take-off and landing systems in terms of endurance and range,” said Dave Shilliday, vice president and general manager, Urban Air Mobility and Uncrewed Aerial Systems, Honeywell Aerospace. “Additionally, using hydrogen as a power source can also significantly expand the possibilities of UAVs beyond the limitations posed by battery-electric powertrains. Honeywell will work with NREL to develop the necessary hydrogen-related technology to contribute to the further growth of the industry.”

The project is funded by a partnership of the US Department of Energy’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, NREL, and Honeywell.