H3 Dynamics and Hylium Industries have paired up to boost prospects for zero emission hydrogen-electric flight.
The French and South Korean companies said they are "combining the strengths of Hylium’s liquid hydrogen storage and liquification solutions, and H3 Dynamics’ distributed hydrogen-electric propulsion nacelles, ultra-light fuel cells, and new hydrogen drone refuelling stations".
The move to liquid hydrogen "represents a significant capability leap for small electric-powered unmanned systems", they said, as "cryogenic (liquid) hydrogen stores three times more energy as compressed gas in the same given volume".
The impact would be delivery drones being able to fly farther, by up to a factor of three over pressurised hydrogen systems, or a factor of 10 compared to batteries, H3 and Hylium said.
“When combined, our global best-in-class solutions achieve the global performance limit for low-altitude electric powered flight”, said Taras Wankewycz, chief executive of H3 Dynamics.
The companies aim, in partnership with ISAE SUPAERO Toulouse, an aerospace engineering school, to test-fly the new system across the southern Atlantic Ocean,