Credit: Robodex
This week, Global Drone News visited the Japan Drone Show in Makuhari Messe, Chiba and we were pleasantly surprised at the number of Japanese drone manufacturing companies exhibiting. Out of the about 250 exhibitors, we can safely say 95% are Japanese while the rest came from Austria, China, Taiwan, and the US.
Over the next few weeks, we will be featuring some of the exhibitors we met there.
This week, we’ll be featuring the Aigis One drone, a hydrogen fuel cell drone developed by Robodex.
Currently, drones are powered mainly by lithium-ion batteries. However, this can only fly for about 30 minutes at the longest, and if it is used for logistics, it needs to fly continuously for at least 2 hours. Therefore, since 2019, Robodex has been working on the development of fuel cell drones that uses hydrogen.
In order to withstand long flights, a long-lasting battery with good performance is necessary, but since the weight affects flight, it seems that it will take a little more time to put it into practical use.
“Aigis One” is Robodex’s first hydrogen fuel cell drone. Robodex aims to enable long-distance and long-distance flights and realize social implementation such as logistics.
Diagonal dimension: 1528mm
Height dimension: 550mm
Maximum takeoff weight: 15kg
Payload: 5kg
Hovering accuracy: Horizontal vertical direction: ±1.5cm (LiDAR + Vision Positioning
Maximum flight speed: 35km/h
Maximum wind pressure resistance: 8m/s
Maximum flight time: 90 minutes
Hydrogen fuel cell: PEMFC method 2400w High
pressure composite container: Aluminum + carbon hydrogen container 4.7L
Robodex has obtained special approval from the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan for a special high-pressure hydrogen compound container to be installed in a hydrogen fuel cell drone and they obtained flight permission as a hydrogen drone from the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in Japan in October 2021.
Power generation itself is possible with hydrogen and air, but hydrogen fuel cells generally generate consistent power output, which is unsuitable for drones that require more power during gusts and acceleration/deceleration.
Therefore, by installing a capacitor that can temporarily store and discharge electricity repeatedly, Robodex built a mechanism to supply the necessary power.
The capacitor is exclusively for “Aigis One” jointly developed with JTEKT, a major machinery and automobile parts manufacturer of the Toyota Group, which independently develops high heat-resistant lithium-ion capacitors.
For more information, visit https://www.robodex.net/ Email: info@robodex.net
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