Horizon’s new fuel cells power stealthy aircraft

Singapore’s Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies launches a next-generation fuel cell power system today that the company says increases flight endurance of small, unmanned aircraft by as much as 300 percent.

The new fuel cell power system, branded as Aeropak, is expected to make stealthy aircraft more effective in persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, a main emphasis of defense and security organizations worldwide, according to a news release. Industry analysts expect the acquisition market for unmanned aerial systems to exceed $44 billion in the United States over the next 10 years.

Horizon manufactures high performance, lightweight and compact fuel cell systems for aerospace, but it is better known for its fuel cell-based toys (see Fuel cell car toys get massive ride pimping). The company plans to start evaluation shipments of the Aeropak this summer. Horizon and San Jose, Calif.-based YLX, an LED manufacturer, tied for the Most Promising Technology award at the Cleantech Forum XV in 2007 (see LEDs, fuel cells grab the gold in Beijing).

The Aeropak, with refillable dry-fuel cartridges, is designed for high-impact and can operate at up to 22,000 feet. The system—which can store 900 watt-hours of usable electrical energy and weights 4.4 pounds—provides up to four times the endurance capabilities of today's advanced lithium batteries, Horizon said. The small system can be easily dropped in as a replacement for battery packs already in service, eliminating costly airframe modifications, the company said.

Horizon powered the first known fuel cell powered jet in 2007. The HyFish, a 1.2 meter long blended wing experimental unmanned aerial vehicle soared over the hills of Bern, Switzerland, performing vertical climbs, loops and other aerobatics, reaching speeds up to 200 km/hr (see Experimental jet drone powered by Horizon fuel cells).

Chicago-based Boeing (NYSE:BA) also launched a small, manned airplane powered by hydrogen fuel cells in 2008 (see Boeing tests fuel cell-powered plane).

As fuel cell technology advances, it’s being examined for other applications including submarines. In 2007, Pennsylvania’s Air Products announced a new fueling station to supply a state-of-the-art HDW 214 submarine of the Hellenic (Greek) Navy with hydrogen (see Submarines: ideal fuel cell vehicles).