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Hydrogen fuel for Long endurance UAVs

Posted by iangl on November 9, 2010 at 9:00am
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They did it. AEROPAK is a UAV specific powering solution. It runs just on water (hydrogen fuel) and delivers lots and lots of electricity.

http://www.hes.sg/

This product has unbeliavable charateristics compared to our primitive battery packs, allowing looong flight times. I discovered it today, and am waiting for a quote from Horizon Energy Systems. They also sell a complete hydrogen power ssolution for RC cars.

New horizons for us! Enjoy
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Comments

  • T.D. Gonzales November 11, 2010 at 5:08pm
    Wow I wonder how much cheaper subsequent orders are. Either way that is some pretty expensive technology that has much cheaper alternatives.
  • Ethan Ferrell November 11, 2010 at 3:44pm
    From an email inquiry:
    The AEROPAK is available for purchase at US$12,500 per system. This includes 2 sets of standard cartridges. Cartridges are one-time use and refilling service is available at a one-to-one replacement for US$200. Please note that the AEROPAK is built-to-order with customized special components and manufacturing, hence payment policy is upfront with a delivery lead time of 4 weeks. The price quoted is for a single unit professional evaluation system. Unit price for subsequent or high quantity orders is substantially lower.

    For users interested in bench-top demonstration/ test system, we also offer a 1.1L carbon fiber gas cylinder option in place of the cartridges. Users can refill the cylinder with hydrogen gas themselves.
  • csd3794 November 10, 2010 at 7:43pm
    The system uses a powdered hydride (similar to a salt) for the fuel which releases hydrogen when it reacts with water. (System mostly likely does not use electrolysis)

    The refueling requires adding more of this powder into the fuel cartridge, which is separate from the fuel cell stack.

    The high density of hydrogen in the powder form allows for an energy density per kg higher than that of Li-poly / Li-ion batteries, even including the water required for the reaction.
  • Joel November 10, 2010 at 4:16pm
    If it's the same as other Horizon fuel cells, then you have to purchase the charging station, but cartridges can be reused.
  • T.D. Gonzales November 10, 2010 at 8:42am
    @Albert Lorincz: The charging thing is also weird. They offer cartridges and I would assume you could just put in distilled water. If these things are like printer cartridges where your supposed to buy new ones each time that could be a real deal killer.
  • T.D. Gonzales November 10, 2010 at 8:40am
    After working an internship at a start up and watching a few tech start ups crash and burn marvelously I'm really not sure that a lot of the data for this fuel cell can be trusted. If the unit were working as well as they claim it is why isn't it on the market?

    Reading their press stuff it sounds like they have a finished product, but they have no price point for it or estimated earliest ship date.
  • Albert Lorincz November 10, 2010 at 7:21am
    Interesting, in summary.

    The larger cartridge gives you 2125 Wh
    the system is rated at 200W of continuous power thus 10.6 hrs of continuous run time
    The smaller cartridge gives your 900 Wh
    the system is rated at 200W of continuous power thus 4.5 hrs of continuous run time

    So the system gives you:
    47 flights each 10.6 hrs
    or
    111 flight each 4.5 hrs
    *need to de-rate for altitude

    the payload cost of 7.72 lbs or 4.41 lbs

    So how much $?
    How much for each power unit?
    How much for each cartridge?
    What is the life of the cartridges?
    How many times can they be reused?
    How are the recharged?
  • Andrew Van Der Plaats November 10, 2010 at 5:33am
    Horizon's Fuel Cell Triples Flight Duration Capability of South Korean Close-Range UAVHorizon's innovative AEROPAK fuel cell power system triples the flight duration of a Korean close-range UAV - with

    dmnnewswire.digitalmedianet.com

    SINGAPORE, BUSINESS WIRE -- The newly developed AEROPAK hydrogen fuel cell power system recently announced by Energy Systems (HES) of Singapore helped set a new record for elec...
  • Simone Chiaretta November 10, 2010 at 2:11am
    Doesn't look like a solution for quads: too heavy and too little current out
  • Tony H November 10, 2010 at 1:01am
    I've been designing a UAV around this fuel cell with 5 other people and a sponsor from Lockheed Martin for my Senior Design class. Not too much to share with everyone here yet...maybe in a month :-)
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