DroneUp, LLC, a leading autonomous drone delivery platform and drone services provider announced that it has agreed to test new hydrogen fuel cell technology created by Doosan Mobility Innovation (DMI), a South Korean based company. The DMI and DroneUp agreement was first initiated in October 2022 and is focused on testing and optimizing a reliable system suitable for scalable operational needs.

DMI is a world leader in designing and developing hydrogen fuel power systems for small Uncrewed Aerial Systems (sUAS). DMI’s hydrogen fuel cell technology yields 3-to-1 energy density characteristics when compared to lithium battery-powered drones. This new technology greatly increases drone flight time to 2-5 hours, depending on several factors like payload weight and weather. In addition to the increased flight time, the new hydrogen technology being tested also has environmental sustainability benefits. Carbon emissions are reduced to “zero” and the only by-product created from the battery technology is drops of water. As DroneUp scales its commercial drone operation in verticals such as delivery, inspection, commercial real estate, and more, it is critical to identify new technologies that will help advance that mission. The testing of DMI’s hydrogen fuel cell power packs to increase flight time while reducing carbon emissions will help both companies advance their efforts along with eventually offering new advanced options for the entire drone industry.

“The technology industry evolves incredibly quickly and the drone industry evolves even faster,” said John Vernon, CTO of DroneUp. “It is absolutely critical we explore new technology like this and continue testing and validating how it can help us move forward. This collaboration is really interesting because it addresses two major aspects of commercial drone services, increasing flight time and reducing carbon emissions. We’re really excited to see the results from this as it could be a significant game-changer for the industry.”