Technology Overview
Innovative Hybrid Power System for High Endurance and Heavy Load Commercial UAVs.
Now that UPS and Prime Air have passed the relevant US FAA regulation 135 capability certifications, logistic delivery services will quickly launch extensive drone applicability tests. However, heavy payload and insufficient energy will still be big challenges. ITRI’s fuel cell hybrid powered UAV system can overcome these difficulties while providing flight times 2-3 times longer than those powered by LIBs of the same weight.
ITRI-developed fuel cell hybrid power system reveals the long endurance performance for UAV application due to lightweight and high-power fuel cell stacks integrated with the high efficiency hybrid power technology. Single-rotor and double-rotor FC powered helicopters have been developed for inspection and logistics applications. If the optimal configuration of payload and hydrogen tank integrates with UAV, the flight time is 130 minutes with 5kg payload for single–rotor FC powered helicopter and 126 minutes with 10kg payload for double–rotor FC powered helicopter, respectively. Meanwhile, in cooperation with the company AVIX, flight tests of a fuel cell powered helicopter have been successfully completed. Over an accumulated flight distance of 800 kilometers, safety and reliability have been confirmed. Flights across the sea from Yilan to Guishan Island and from Penghu to Wangan have been carried out to verify the feasibility of logistic delivery. These solutions pave the way for heavy payload high endurance UAVs.
Applications & Benefits
Single-rotor and double-rotor FC powered helicopters have been developed for inspection and logistics applications. The fuel cell hybrid power technology will provide the energy solution for UAV applications in the future.