Ion Tiger’s PEM fuel cell tech sets 10% better flight record

The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Naval Research Laboratory said an unmanned air vehicle (UAV), which runs on hydrogen-powered fuel cells, recently set an unofficial flight endurance record—taking to the sky for 26 hours and one minute.

With the ability to carry a four- to five-pound payload, the so-called Ion Tiger features an onboard electric fuel cell propulsion system that boasts quiet operation and high efficiency. The aircraft’s previous record was 23 hours and 17 minutes, set in October.

Last year, Hampshire, England-based defense contractor QinetiQ Group said one of its solar-powered UAVs set an unofficial world record for the longest unmanned flight (see QinetiQ claims record flight for solar UAV).

And Manassas, Va.-based Aurora Flight Sciences unveiled its concept for a solar powered UAV designed to stay aloft for up to five years (see Aurora reveals plans for solar UAV).

Fuel cells generate electrical current when they convert hydrogen and oxygen into water and heat. The Ion Tiger’s 550 watt (0.75 horsepower) fuel cell has about four times the efficiency of a comparable internal combustion engine, and the system can provide seven times the energy in the equivalent weight of batteries. The Ion Tiger weighs about 37 pounds.

Now that NRL says it has demonstrated its proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology can meet or surpass the performance of traditional power systems, it’s planning to work on increasing the fuel cell power to 1.5 kilowatts to allow for tactical flights and expand the vehicle’s flight time to three days.

NRL led the fuel cell system development team, which included collaboration from Protonex Technology, HyperComp Engineering, and Arcturus UAV. The program is sponsored by the U.S. Office of Naval Research.

Southboro, Mass.-based Protonex is no newcomer to military applications of its technology. The company received a research award last year for its solid oxide fuel cell system. It planned to adopt its propane fuel system to run on liquid fuels (see Protonex signs Army fuel-cell deal).

The research and development program planned to focus on advancing the fuel cell power system for conventional and renewable military formulations (see Protonex awards Millennium U.S. military fuel cell subcontract).

Earlier this year, Singapore’s Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies launched a fuel cell power system that the company said increases flight endurance of small, unmanned aircraft by as much as 300 percent (see Horizon’s new fuel cells power stealthy aircraft and Experimental jet drone powered by Horizon fuel cells).

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