Event 38 adapts a E400 mapping drone to hydrogen cell flight

US mapping drone manufacturer Event 38 has revealed the successful test flight of one of its E400 UAVs adapted to operate using a hydrogen cell – a first step toward employing the cleaner and more efficient technology compared to batteries or gas power.

Ohio-based Event 38 said it conducted the flight on June 13 at the Kent State University airport – the school being one of several the company partnered with to adapt its drone to hydrogen cell use. That project dovetailed with other Ohio Federal Research Network (OFRN) initiatives Event 38 is involved with, permitting it to upgrade its most recent E400 mapping UAV as a E450 scaled to take on the larger hydrogen cell power source.

In doing that, Event 38 customized the E450’s carbon fiber structure to accommodate the bigger hydrogen fuel cell and tank, and developed a custom thermal management system to keep the cell cool while the drone was in flight. All the design, engineering, and assembly work…