Honeywell, DOE Developing Hydrogen Fuel Storage for Long-Range Drones

The defense titan and the Department of Energy have entered a yearlong collaboration to prototype a new system that converts solid hydrogen to electricity.

Jack Daleo

Monday, September 18, 2023 at 02:45 PM ET

Verified

A Honeywell Aerospace electric drone takes flight. [Courtesy: Honeywell Aerospace]

Key Takeaways:

The FLASH project, a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy's NREL and Honeywell Aerospace, aims to develop a novel solid-state hydrogen fuel storage system.
This innovative technology focuses on storing hydrogen in a solid material that can be quickly released at low temperatures, offering a more compact and efficient alternative to traditional gaseous or liquid hydrogen storage.
The primary goal is to power long-range, heavy-payload drones (UAVs) with quiet, zero-emission flight and extended endurance, addressing the limitations of current battery and internal combustion engine systems.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The Flash doesn’t get his superspeed from hydrogen fuel, but the U.S. Department of Energy’s FLASH project promises to explore new avenues for the emerging fuel source.

FLASH—which stands for Fuel Additives for Solid Hydrogen Carriers in Electric Aviation—is the DOE’s latest hydrogen-related initiative. The project will see the department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and aerospace and defense titan Honeywell collaborate on a prototype hydrogen fuel storage system for long-range drones.