Israeli technology company HevenDrones announced that it will unveil its hydrogen-powered drone for defense and commercial use at the upcoming International Defense Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) next week in Abu Dhabi.
The new H2D55 model is said to be five times more energy efficient than traditional lithium battery-powered drones, and fly for 100 minutes carrying seven kilograms, according to a press release on Tuesday.
The company says the net-zero-emission lightweight drone does not need regular battery replacements, eliminating the environmental impact of mining lithium, and also reducing ownership costs for companies planning to use it at scale.
Seth Frantzman, the author of Drone Wars and writer for Defense News and the Jerusalem Post, said that drones with these capabilities are well suited for the UAE in homeland security, law enforcement, and other types of government services. “Drones can be really good for countering smuggling or piracy and also large-scale fires that are difficult to reach,” he said.
Frantzman told Al-Monitor that drones are already serving a useful purpose in Bahrain’s partnership with the US Navy, which the Israeli Defense ministry called the first regional partnership of its kind. An operation called Task Force 59 is using unmanned surface vessels in the Gulf, he said, to find smugglers or deal with Iranian threats.
Source: Al Monitor