Flying fuel cells
Protonex, an advanced fuel cell power systems provider to the US military, will be unveiling it's new fuel cell system in an upcoming meeting for the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI).
As unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) demand longer flight durations, they push the limits of batteries as a source of power. Fuel cells, instead, offer quiet and reliable power enabling longer flight times and greater payloads. Scott Pearson, CEO of Protonex, says, "The progress we have made to date on our UAV power platform already provides the opportunity to double or triple the flight durations of a typical small UAV."
I suppose it remains to be seen if/when/how this sort of technology would trickle down for consumer use.
[Source: Fuel Cell Markets]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Howard Lee Harkness 11:17AM (8/27/2006)
It is highly unlikely that this technology will filter down to consumers without major changes. Military applications are not very sensitive to little things like cost, but consumer applications are.
Running any sort of transportation on hydrogen is insanely stupid (with the possible exception of a cost- and hazard-indifferent military application). For starters, it is nowhere near 'green' in any meaningful sense.
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