DroneHub GAE (Groningen Airport Eelde) has joined forces with the Holthausen Group to develop hydrogen-powered drones. This new technology enables drones to fly further and recharge more quickly.
For certain types of drones, hydrogen technology is a good and sustainable solution.
Currently, most drones can only fly for 20 minutes. That is nice for recreational drones, but for drones with a specific purpose, such as delivering parcels, it is not long enough. Hydrogen-powered drones do not face that problem. These can stay in the air much longer, up to several hours.
DroneHub GAE in Groningen is working with Holthausen Groep and others to build hydrogen drones, which both parties say is the future. The province of Drenthe supports the project, member of the Provincial Council of Drenthe Henk Brink said in a press release on the website: 'The drone sector is bursting with dynamism. If we encourage developments in the sector now, it will create jobs in the future. And think of the possibilities. You can use hydrogen-powered drones, for example, in rescue operations and deliveries of emergency medication to the Wadden Islands. But also think of use for agri-applications, such as precision agriculture'.
Making the Northern economy more sustainable
One of the partners of the DroneHub GAE is Holthausen Groep. They specialise in hydrogen and want to make the northern economy more sustainable. They believe in a world without emissions. 'Acting together with partners such as the DroneHub GAE and the province of Drenthe is very important here. Together you get further,' said general director, Stefan Holthausen, of Holthausen Group.
Egbert Swierts, director of Omni-Drones Academy and partner of the DroneHub GAE, explains: 'If you combine a fuel cell with a battery, the drone will last for hours. In addition, charging is also accelerated. Where charging used to take one to two hours, you now fill up the drone in just three minutes.
The big advantage of fuel cells is that they produce the energy needed. This is different from batteries, which simply store energy and release it when called for. At the moment, the technology is particularly interesting for small, lightweight drones. Each fuel cell typically requires two components. One is the 'body' of the power generation unit and the other is the fuel tank containing, in this case, hydrogen. The power and amount of fuel depends on the weight of the fuel cell.
Another advantage of a fuel cell is that there are no moving parts. As a result, no lubricants are needed either and parts are less likely to need replacing. This in turn saves on costs.
Research
A team of entrepreneurs is currently investigating with Holthausen Groep whether building a prototype is feasible and the costs involved. The results of this study are expected this month, and if the results are positive, the companies, together with the province, want to build a prototype. Hydrogen drones are also being developed in other countries, including the US and China.
By: Kelly Bakker
Source: GAE + Commercial UAV News
Photo: GAE
