Back in September, the chemistry and tactical electronic warfare divisions of the United States Naval Research Laboratory completed the first flight of the Ion Tiger UAS with its new hydrogen-powered fuel cell installed.

Being that the fuel cell was an in house creation, the first flight had even more significance, as it not only showed the building capabilities of the Office of Naval Research, but also, its ability to integrate fuel cells into systems for the Navy.

“NRL having the know how to build their own fuel cells in house gives ONR and the U.S. Navy the understanding and tools needed for transitioning fuel cells to the fleet,” said Michele Anderson through a news release from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory.

Anderson serves as program manager at the Office of Naval Research.

The fuel cell system was built using formed metal-foil bipolar plates. The plates not only serve as the structural backbone of the system, but they also save space and weight, and provide fluidic pathways for air, hydrogen, and coolant.

“The decision to move to metal bipolar plates allowed us to leverage a lot of know how from the automotive industry’s large investment in hydrogen fuel cells,” said Dr. Benjamin Gould, NRL’s chief scientist on the project.

“Using the plates also enabled enhanced storage capabilities and weight savings that are critical for naval unmanned system applications.”

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