IE-SOAR 2.4 kW is a hydrogen fuel-cell power system that converts hydrogen and oxygen into electrical power. Continuous power is 2400 W. It supplies an electric propulsion or onboard power installation and requires integration with hydrogen storage and balance-of-plant equipment.
The IE-SOAR 2.4 kW is a hydrogen fuel-cell power system from Intelligent Energy for electric multirotors and other unmanned aircraft. It converts hydrogen into electrical power on board and is designed as a direct replacement for the flight battery, giving much longer endurance than a battery pack of comparable mass.
The system supplies a maximum continuous power of 2400 W, with a peak power of up to 8000 W when used with the default hybrid battery pair. The fuel cell power module delivers a DC-DC regulated output voltage configurable between 50 V and 70 V, and it follows the load demand automatically, as a battery does. It is compatible with 12S to 16S battery architectures, so an existing propulsion system can usually be retained. Modules can be combined in parallel for outputs of 2.4 kW and 4.8 kW.
The fuel cell power module measures 128 x 442 x 233 mm and weighs 4800 g. The hydrogen regulator adds 315 g, with a maximum cylinder pressure of 350 bar (5000 psi) and an output pressure of 0.9 bar ± 0.1; the maximum cylinder mass is 10 kg. The default hybrid batteries are two 6S packs in series, each of 3300 mAh, 535 g and 135 x 40 x 40 mm, with a peak power of 4800 W per battery; the configuration can be changed for a higher or longer peak power. These batteries cover take-off and manoeuvre peaks while the fuel cell supplies the average load.
For integration the system communicates with the aircraft or accessories over UART or CAN, and the output connector is a ring terminal or AS150. An SD card stores firmware updates, performance data and diagnostics. The operating temperature range is -5 °C to 40 °C, with startup between 5 °C and 40 °C, a maximum altitude of 3000 m and a storage temperature of -10 °C to 70 °C; the maker notes that the range can be widened depending on customer power requirements.
On safety, the system is tolerant of single-point failures and has a dual redundant power system with a backup battery. It is stated as CE and FCC certified and carries a system warranty of 1000 hours.
In the maker's example integrations the system flies on the Gryphon HX-1600 and the Gryphon XQ-1400 VS, with a flight time of 120 minutes without payload on each, 80 minutes with a 5.2 kg payload on the first and 60 minutes with a 4.5 kg payload on the second. Typical uses are long-endurance and BVLOS missions such as inspection, mapping and surveillance, where fast refuelling, low noise and reduced maintenance are advantages over combustion engines.
Specifications
Specifications · IE-SOAR 2.4 kW hydrogen fuel-cell power system
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