Collaboration Designed To Further Develop Unmanned Aerial
Technology
UltraCell Corporation, announced Monday it plans to build fuel
cell systems for the Center for Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV)
Exploitation (CUE) in its Dayton, Ohio, manufacturing plant.
UltraCell will initially build 10 units based on the company's XX25
reformed methanol fuel cell (RMFC) technology, with potential to
expand production in the future.
Funded by the State of Ohio Third Frontier Project, the CUE is a
collaborative effort between local Dayton-area businesses, academic
institutions and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton. The CUE was developed to
improve integration between UAV controls, wireless communications,
advanced sensor technology and portable power.
UltraCell's XX25 delivers extended runtime and offers low
weight, crucial benefits for designing portable power solutions for
aerial vehicles. The XX25 has achieved the military's Technology
Readiness Level (TRL) 7 status demonstrating operation in relevant
environments. In addition, the XX25 has successfully completed
numerous MIL-STD-810F Environmental Tests, including altitude,
making it an ideal power source for applications such as UAVs.
"We're delighted to be able to participate in the Center for UAV
Exploitation's work in Dayton," said UltraCell CEO Keith Scott. "We
see tremendous opportunity for UAV applications both in the
military and commercial markets and believe our fuel cell
technology is a perfect power solution for these systems."
With a market expected to grow tremendously over the next five
years, UAV research and development done by the CUE will focus on
control, communications, power and sensor solutions for vehicles
weighing 150 pounds or less. Success with smaller vehicles that
boast greater maneuverability, increased mobility and lower cost is
expected to carry over into the larger UAV and manned aircraft
markets. Systems designed by the CUE will be some of the first UAVs
commercialized in non-defense applications.
Other CUE participants include BAE Systems, Co-operative
Engineering Services, Inc (CESI), the Institute for the Development
and Commercialization of Advanced Sensor Technology (IDCAST), L3
Communications Nova Engineering, STAN Solutions, TecEdgeWorks,
Defense Research Associates (DRA) and the University of Dayton
Research Institute.