Compact Hydrogen and PEM Fuel Cells for Drones and UAV

IE-SOAR fuel cell systems replace your battery and unlock long endurance flight

Intelligent Energy is a leading developer of PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cell technology for drones and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Our lightweight, power-dense UAV fuel cell modules allow customers to bypass the constraints of traditional battery technology, significantly extending drone flight times and ranges while producing clean DC power in a robust and lightweight package that can be refuelled in minutes.

Our IE-SOAR drone fuel cell power modules (FCPMs) are ideal for a wide range of professional commercial applications, including offshore inspection, search and rescue, aerial photography and mapping, precision agriculture and more.

• Enable previously impossible applications – your business is no longer constrained by flight time.
• Unlock BVLOS operations – BVLOS makes sense with the range provided by fuel cells.
• Increase operational efficiency – spend 3x longer in the air and achieve more.

Jump down to learn more about our Fuel Cell Technology >

Fuel Cell Power Modules (FCPM)

Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Drones and UAVs

Our Fuel Cell Power Modules (FCPMs) for UAVs provide clean, efficient DC power from only hydrogen and ambient air, with zero emissions. With a higher energy-to-mass ratio than traditional battery systems, hydrogen fuel cells can provide commercial UAVs with over three times the flight endurance, allowing you to maximise productivity, minimise downtime and achieve more in a single drone flight.

IE-SOAR benefits:

• Direct battery replacement – 12S to 16S compatible – automatically follows load demand just like a battery.
• Designed for safety and reliability – Single point failure tolerant and with built in power system redundancy.
• Modular – combine systems in parallel for 2.4kW, 4.8kW outputs.

Our FCPMs are available with 800W, 1.2kW and 2.4kW power outputs. Hydrogen fuel cells can be integrated into a variety of multi-rotor and fixed-wing UAV platforms, and can directly replace the existing battery in many drone applications.

Two 2.4kW power modules can also be linked in parallel to provide up to 4.8kW of power without the need for additional hardware. The FCPM provides continuous power to the UAV and is hybridised with a small battery to manage peak loads.

Specifications:

	2.4 kW Fuel Cell Module	1.2 kW Fuel Cell Module	800W Fuel Cell Module
Maximum continuous power	2400W	1200W	800W
Maximum peak power	4800W	8000W	1400W
Output voltage	44-50.4V	50-70V	19.6–25.2V
FCPM mass	3250g	2700g	930g
FCPM dimensions	130 x 430 x 230mm	128 × 246 × 233mm	196 × 100 × 140mm
Regulator mass	250g	315g	250g
Maximum regulator pressure	350 bar/5000 psi	350 bar/5000 psi	300 bar/4350 psi
Battery mass	340g	535g	300g
Battery dimensions	120 x 35 x 45mm	135 × 40 × 40mm	120 × 35 × 40mm
Battery capacity	2000mAh	3300mAh	1800mAh
Operating temperature range	-5 to 40°C	-5 to 40°C	5 to 35°C
Maximum altitude	3000m	3500m	3000m

Learn more: UAV Fuel Cell Power Modules (FCPM)

Drone Fuel Cell Technology

Fuel cells use electrochemical reactions to produce electricity without combustion. Hydrogen fuel cells combine hydrogen with oxygen from the air, emitting only heat and water as by-products. They are more efficient than internal combustion engines, and unlike batteries, do not need recharging and will continue to operate as long as they are provided with fuel.

PEM Fuel Cells

Fuel cell technology is both scalable and modular, providing the ability to simply stack cells together to achieve desired power output. PEM fuel cells, in which the electrolyte is a proton-conducting solid polymer membrane, feature the highest power densities, making them ideal for UAV applications where size, weight and power (SWaP) are often highly constrained.

Our drone fuel cells are air-cooled, with heat from the fuel cell stack conducted to cooling plates and removed through airflow channels, resulting in a simplified and cost-effective power solution.