Antares H3 Fuel Cell Powered Plane Could Fly 50 Hours
23 August 2010 | Green Technology | No Comments
German Aerospace Center in cooperation with Lange Research Aircraft GmbH, will build world’s longest range fuel cell plane. Antares H3 will fly over 3,700 miles which is 8 times more than its successor DLR-H2, the world’s first piloted fuel cell powered aircraft. They’ll start to build the aircraft this month, and the first flight is planned for next year.
The plane was specially designed so along its 75 feet wings there are attached 4 pods containing the fuel cells and the fuel. Being lightweight, aerodynamic and running on this efficient fuel cell technology, Antares H3 could easily perform Earth observation and surveying tasks. German researchers say that it also can carry payloads up to 440 pounds. At first , Antares H3 will fly only piloted but in the future researchers want to convert it into an UAV.
“The fuel-cell powered Antares flies carbon dioxide-neutral, and emits significantly less noise than other comparable motorized gliders. It represents a new milestone in the area of efficient, emission-free energy transformation”, said Dr Josef Kallo, Head of Electrochemical Systems at DLR’s Institute of Technical Thermodynamics.
Source: Renewsing
Tags: Antares H3, fuel cell plane, fuel cell powered UAV, German plane