AeroVironment Inc. announced Tuesday that it has successfully flown at Edwards Air Force Base its Global Observer drone, a hydrogen-fuel-powered unmanned aircraft sporting a 175-foot wingspan and one-week-long endurance. The aircraft's internal-combustion engine burns cryogenically stored liquid hydrogen, leaving water vapor for exhaust. That system powers a generator that delivers electricity to the aircraft's four wing-mounted motors. The aircraft is being developed to serve as a surveillance and communication link platform, while flying mostly at 65,000 feet. In surveillance roles, the company says the aircraft's endurance could translate to coverage of 280,000 square miles per flight. In its test flight, the aircraft flew for four hours at about 3,000 feet.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/news/hydrogen-powered-global-observer-flies