Doosan Mobility Innovation (DMI) and 42air signed an MoU at CES 2022 to codevelop delivery services using hydrogen fuel cell-powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)
DMI is a commercial hydrogen drone manufacturer which delivers drone platforms with fuel cell powerpacks to maximise performance. With over two hours of flight time, the company’s hydrogen drones are used for inspection, delivery, emergency monitoring and public safety.
The increased flight time is owed to the fuel cells which have four to five times the energy density of lithium-ion batteries, making hydrogen-powered drones beyond visual line of sight-capable and suited for delivery purposes.
42air, the US subsidiary of South Korean start-up 42dot, specialises in autonomous transport having pioneered delivery to ships on the Mississippi River, operating under visual flight rules authorised by Part 107 regulations.
42air’s technology builds on and extends 42dot’s urban mobility operating system to support aerial delivery and logistics.
The partners envision expanding operations using heavier and faster vehicles for delivery operations to ships in anchorages around the Port of Los Angeles, as well as deliveries to oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.
Both companies also plan to collaborate to create new business models and develop a service model including specifying and integrating fuel cell power systems, automation software, logistics software, cargo handling systems and other technologies and processes to enable the aerial delivery ecosystem.
“Hydrogen fuel cell technology has shown its strength in endurance by making our drone fly for two hours. By working with 42air, we will show this technology is happening now, not for the future, and is a very promising technology for drone delivery” said DMI chief executive Doosoon Lee.
“42air aims to improve the economics and convenience of maritime deliveries. By partnering with DMI, we can provide safe and environmentally friendly delivery, improving the life for crews on board of ships that may be stuck in distant anchorages for a long time”, added 42air chief executive Henk Goosen.
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