Israeli Startup Launches Hydrogen-Powered Drone

An Israeli startup has launched its first hydrogen-powered drone. 

HevenDrones builds drones that can be piloted for humanitarian, military, infrastructural, and commercial uses. Its uses range from product delivery to defense missions, emergency response, and infrastructure repair. 

Its new drone model, the H2D55, is the first of three hydrogen-fueled products that will be released over the next nine months. The models are all carbon neutral, meaning they do not emit carbon dioxide emissions.

It is capable of flying for 100 minutes with a payload capacity of 15lbs (7kgs). 

The company says its new drone is five times more energy efficient than traditional lithium battery-powered drones. 

Adopting hydrogen technology significantly extends flight times, speed, and payload capacity by removing the need for heavy lithium-ion batteries.

Drones powered by lithium-ion batteries face several challenges, including short flight endurance, low payload capacity, and the need to replace batteries.

Lithium-ion batteries are also associated with negative environmental impacts linked to lithium mining, which results in biodiversity loss, soil degradation, and water shortages. 

“We are delighted to bring hydrogen-powered drones to the global market and we are excited to see the expanding range of use-cases across numerous industries,” said Bentzion Levinson, Founder & CEO of HevenDrones.

“Not only do actionable drones add immense value to key areas of our economy and society, but we are working to ensure that this value is compounded by reduced carbon emissions and general energy efficiency by using hydrogen. The H2D55 is our first step towards achieving this vision.”

HevenDrones was founded in 2019, and is based in Mevoh Carmel, northern Israel.