NRL's UAV Sets 26-Hour Flight Endurance Record

The NRL's hydrogen-powered fuel cell unmanned air vehicle (UAV), the Ion Tiger, has set an unofficial flight endurance record for a fuel-cell powered flight of 26 hours.

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NRL's UAV Sets 26-Hour Flight Endurance Record

The Naval Research Laboratory of Washington, DC, reports that their Ion Tiger, a hydrogen-powered fuel cell UAV, has recently accomplished a 26 hour endurance test flight.

The Ion Tiger, as Automaton has reported in the past, is being used as a technology demonstration platform for their latest PEM fuel cell technology. It weighs approximately 37 pounds and carried a 5-pound payload during the test.

"NRL has now demonstrated that PEM fuel cell technology can meet or surpass the performance of traditional power systems, providing reliable, quiet operation and extremely high efficiency. Next steps will focus on increasing the power of the fuel cell to 1.5 kW, or 2 HP, to enable tactical flights and extending flight times to 3 days while powering tactical payloads."

Follow the link to the NRL press release for more information.

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