Project description
Improving UAV capabilities on longer missions
Technological advancements in electronic UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) are advancing at a rapid pace. Their market uptake is low mainly due to their limited flight time as frequent recharging is required. In case of massive deployment of electric UAVs, handling and charging battery packs represents a logistical problem. This is why large aerial platforms or large UAV systems powered by internal combustion engines (ICE) are preferable on long missions. However, their price and their operability costs are high. The EU-funded UAVEndure II project proposes a unique approach that is based on the combination of both technologies. It aims to improve the capabilities of small electric UAVs as an alternative to the large and costly drones.
Objective
UAV flight time is critical for several mission scenarios, as frequent recharging or refuelling limits the effective availability and
service time, as well as range. This has thus far prevented the use of fully electric unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), since
their performance scales unfavourably with the size/intensity of the UAV operation. Moreover, when small electric UAVs are
massively deployed, and particularly in time critical mission, the handling and charging of many battery packs becomes a
logistical problem. Thus, manned aerial platforms (helicopters and planes) or large (>25 kg) fixed-wing UAV systems,
powered by internal combustion engines (ICE) have been the preferred option for long endurance missions such as
monitoring and surveying. However, these large systems present high CAPEX and OPEX, mostly due to the oversized
nature of these systems.
The unique approach of UAVEndure II project is the combination of two technologies, namely small fixed-wing UAVs and
fuel-cell power generation at a downsized scale and price not attempted before. The rationale is to harvest all the benefits of
small electric UAVs, while having access to high endurance hitherto only possible with large aerial platforms propelled by
ICE.
Sky-Watch (SKY) and KraftWerk (KWT) have jointly developed the next generation fuel cell propulsion system for small
UAVs - ELJUN - to cover the needs of drone OEMs and end-users for increased flight range/time of small UAVs. ELJUN
provides 10x more flight range than LiPO battery. This is expected to further increase the usability of these small systems as
an alternative to larger, costlier drones, thus untapping wider access to the use of this technology in civil and governmental
applications. Thus, we expect ELJUN to become a new reference in the sector.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringroboticsautonomous robotsdrones
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringaircraftrotorcraft
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsfuel cells
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2Coordinator
9530 Stovring
Denmark
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.