China hydrogen drone completes 30-hour flight
A hydrogen-powered drone developed in China has stayed airborne for 30 hours, setting a new endurance benchmark for its class. The test highlights the growing role of fuel cells in unmanned aircraft designed for long-duration missions.
The aircraft was developed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, or AVIC, with Tsinghua University. The flight took place in Dujiangyan in Sichuan province in southwest China. The drone launched from an unmanned vehicle. It weighs 50 kilograms and uses fuel cells with a power density of 600 watts per kilogram.
Researchers said they raised overall system efficiency to 55% through a lightweight stack design and catalyst technology that reduces platinum loading. They also said they overcame stability problems in low-pressure plateau conditions and extreme cold, two environments that can sharply constrain fuel-cell performance in aviation use.
The result points to a wider operational case for hydrogen UAVs. Aircraft that can remain in the air far longer than battery-powered drones could support disaster rescue, emergency communications, environmental monitoring and border patrol. If the technology scales reliably, it could widen the use of unmanned aircraft in missions where endurance matters most.