Hybrid drones grab eyeballs at AUVSI XPONENTIAL

A couple of drones have really caught our eye at the at AUVSI XPONENTIAL conference in Orlando, Florida. They’re hybrids, using hydrogen and gasoline to create electrical energy to run the motors. And there’s a very good reason for that.

We all love our LiPos (except when they get puffy, of course). But there’s a limit to what a LiPo will get you in terms of power. The reason? The energy-to-weight ratio of lithium polymer simply doesn’t compare with other fuel sources. Gasoline and hydrogen are more energy dense, meaning they pack more power to the punch per given weight.

Way more power. And if you’re clever, you can build an engine with a generator or fuel cell that exploits that power and turns it into electricity.

Longer range, higher payloads

That’s really the headline of hybrid drones that convert gasoline or hydrogen into electricity. They can get you a way longer trip than LiPos.

The first drone we’ll take a look at comes from…