The sphere of drone aviation recently witnessed a major milestone as the Tianmushan No. 1, the world’s first 100-kilometer-class (62 miles) hydrogen-powered multi-rotor drone, successfully made its inaugural flight.
The Tianmushan No. 1 is a drone developed by the High-Performance Airborne Hydrogen Power System Development and Application team of Tianmushan Laboratory.
“It has been developed to solve the industry pain points of insufficient endurance and low-temperature resistance of industrial drones,” stated the lab in its press release.
The Tianmushan No. 1 is not just another drone; it represents a paradigm shift in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology.
It addresses the inherent limitations of traditional industrial drones, namely their restricted flight range and vulnerability to adverse weather. The UAV tackles these issues through a combination of innovative design and cutting-edge technology.
Groundbreaking features
As disclosed by Tianmushan Laboratory, this innovative UAV comes with several groundbreaking features.
“The Tianmushan No. 1 hydrogen-powered drone has the technical capabilities of one-key autonomous take-off and landing, and 100 kilometers of beyond-visual-range continuous operation, thus changing the application mode of traditional industrial drones,” mentioned the press release.
These capabilities enhance the drone’s utility in remote and challenging environments.
Besides, it can stay airborne for four hours and operate flawlessly in extreme cold and high-altitude environments. Another standout feature of the Tianmushan No. 1 is its lightweight carbon fiber body, which weighs just around 42 pounds (19 kilograms).
“The drone’s empty weight is 19kg, the maximum load weight is 6kg, the maximum endurance is over 4 hours, and its overall performance and product design have reached the industry-leading level,” remarked Tianmushan Laboratory.
Hydrogen fuel cell system
However, the USP of this drone is its state-of-the-art hydrogen fuel cell system. This power source, with an energy density five to six times higher than conventional lithium batteries, is the key to the drone’s extended flight endurance.
“It uses a self-developed hydrogen fuel cell power system, an integrated lightweight carbon fiber fuselage, an integrated intelligent parachute system design, and customized four types of carbon fiber hydrogen storage bottles,” the press release highlighted.
Meanwhile, the air-cooled fuel cell stack ensures optimal performance even under demanding conditions.
Simplification, safety, and testing
The Tianmushan No. 1’s user-friendly one-button autonomous take-off and landing system simplifies operations and reduces the risk of human error. Moreover, it also prioritizes safety in a novel way.
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“It is the world’s first mass-produced hydrogen-powered drone with an integrated parachute design,” claimed Tianmushan Laboratory.
This can come in handy in case of any malfunction, where the parachute will automatically deploy and protect both the drone and its surroundings.
The Tianmushan Laboratory also revealed that the drone has been tested rigorously to meet the industry demand.
“It has been demonstrated and applied in many scenarios such as oil and gas exploration, power inspection, emergency rescue, forest protection, and water conservancy monitoring,” concluded the lab.
This successful flight of Tianmushan No. 1 marks an achievement in drone technology and low-altitude economy, which China is pushing hard for.
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Aman Tripathi An active and versatile journalist and news editor. He has covered regular and breaking news for several leading publications and news media, including The Hindu, Economic Times, Tomorrow Makers, and many more. Aman holds expertise in politics, travel, and tech news, especially in AI, advanced algorithms, and blockchain, with a strong curiosity about all things that fall under science and tech.
