China has successfully developed and completed the maiden flight of the first prototype liquid hydrogen-powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a breakthrough achievement in the application of liquid hydrogen to low-altitude vehicles.
According to Chinese news media, this milestone marks a major technological breakthrough. The groundbreaking prototype was developed by Shaanxi Tongduan and Guangcheng Cryogenics Co., Ltd (“Tongduan and Guangcheng Cryogenics”) in collaboration with China Aviation Industry Corporation (“AVIC”), Xi’an Jiaotong University and Shengshi Yingchuang Hydrogen Energy Technology (Shaanxi) Ltd (hereinafter referred to as “Shengshi Yingchuang”).
The UAV is equipped with a lightweight cryogenic liquid hydrogen storage tank and a hydrogen fuel cell system. Tongduan Hoplight Cryogenics and Xi’an Jiaotong University focused on the development of the liquid hydrogen fuel supply and refueling system, while Shengshi Yingchuang was responsible for the overall assembly of the UAV. The project utilized Xi’an Jiaotong University’s advanced liquid hydrogen production and storage platform to ensure a stable fuel supply.
The project has verified the feasibility of key technologies for UAV liquid hydrogen production, storage, refueling and fuel supply systems, overcoming major technical challenges such as liquid hydrogen refueling, fuel supply integration and overall integration of liquid hydrogen UAV systems.
Li Yongxin, the technical leader of the project, emphasized that liquid hydrogen has the advantages of high energy density and high hydrogen release efficiency. These characteristics can greatly improve the endurance of UAVs, opening up a broad application prospect for UAVs in the field of low-altitude flight.
The combination of advanced low-temperature liquid hydrogen storage technology and efficient fuel cell systems enables these UAVs to improve long-range combat capability, adapt to extreme environments, extend flight time, improve flight safety, and expand the range of potential applications.
In July 2023, Shaanxi Winner Digital Technology Co. Ltd, a leading hydrogen energy industry chain company in Shaanxi, and a professor from Xi’an Jiaotong University collaborated to establish Tongduan Hoplight Cryogenics Co. The company focuses on the R&D and transformation of liquid hydrogen application technologies, especially in hydrogen liquefaction, efficient storage, transportation and safety. The company has mastered the core key technologies through continuous innovation, and has been working closely with universities and industries to promote the transformation and industrialization of liquid hydrogen technology applications.
Tongduan and Guang Cryogenics already have in-house design and development capabilities for small and medium-sized liquid hydrogen storage tanks, refueling systems and fuel supply systems.
The company’s goal is to apply this technology to large-scale transportation vehicles with long distances and long flight times in the future. This successful maiden flight marks a significant step forward in the application of liquid hydrogen in aviation, potentially revolutionizing the UAV industry and contributing to the wider adoption of hydrogen as a clean energy source.