Hogreen Air, a South Korean company, recently unveiled a hydrogen fuel cell drone at the H2 Mobility Energy Environment Technology (MEET) conference in Seoul from Sept. 25 to 27.
This newly developed drone is said to be utilized for long-duration surveillance and reconnaissance by using the latest hydrogen technology developed for unmanned aerial vehicles.
The hydrogen-powered drone is unique because of its exceptional range and flying duration capacity, which reaches up to 14 hours. This makes it fly beyond the limitations shown by traditional lithium-battery drones, which can only go for 10 to 30 minutes.
The Hogreen Air is running on hydrogen fuel, which may be in gas or liquid types, making it the more efficient and sustainable solution in flight.
The drone has a payload capacity of up to 10 kg, which makes it capable of handling various mission-critical tasks concerning defense and industrial applications. Its landmark achievement is being remotely operated over long distances.
Recently, the drone completed remote missions in Germany and the United States while being controlled from nearly 5,800 miles away in South Korea. This can be achieved by integrating systems on radio frequency and LTE/5G communication, wherein control is made possible from the farthest corner of the globe.
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The Power of Hydrogen Fuel Cells
Using hydrogen fuel cells, Hogreen Air's drones are one technology that is significantly denser than hydrogen gas in its liquid phase. This aspect indicates a longer-running drone that consumes fewer resources.
Such an innovative power source helps ensure the drone can conduct the much-needed long-range operations, whose plan requires little need for frequent resupply via more refueling events. It is, therefore, well suited to operation in missions over great long segments.
Apart from its stunning durability, these cells are clean energy producers. As the process goes on, hydrogen reacts with oxygen, giving only pure water vapor, so it is a very clean substitute for conventional diesel-powered systems. The system runs very quietly and gives less vibration also, which is an added attraction for missions requiring a more sensitive deal of sensitivity, such as search-and-rescue missions or environmental monitoring.
Advanced Drone Technology for a Wide Range of Applications
Hogreen Air has branded itself as a leader in the drone industry, developing state-of-the-art systems for various industries, according to Interesting Engineering. Its drones have been designed to be equipped with leading communication technologies, encrypt video using high-speed LTE, and feature AI-based capabilities like facial recognition in search-and-rescue missions.
This company's proprietary PEM (Polymer Electrolyte Membrane) fuel cell platform represents innovation. Fuel cells are designed with fewer components but are very practical, cost-effective, and reliable, high-performance fuel cells. Hogreen Air is a company that genuinely is pushing the edge of technology with its approach to green energy and the highly efficient operation of drones.
Future Leader in Green Energy and Drone Innovation
Hogreen Air emphasizes green energy to the next level beyond drone technology. The company has developed a 'Hydrogen Power Pack,' a power generation system that combines hydrogen fuel cells with storage tanks to offer clean and sustainable power generation sources. These strides for innovation and environmental stewardship have catapulted the company into multiple patents, including agriculture and AI-driven ones.
In 2022, Hogreen Air entered into a significant partnership deal with UK-based Intelligent Energy (IE) and signed a memorandum of understanding to produce IE's 100kW hydrogen fuel cell, IE-DRIVE.
The collaboration will take Hogreen Air to the next level and propel the hydrogen power future for drones, setting the first series of production to launch as early as 2024.
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