Ion Tiger is a hydrogen-powered fuel cell unmanned air vehicle (UAV) developed by the Naval Research Laboratory . It has set an unofficial flight endurance record by flying 23 hours and 17 minutes at Aberdeen Proving Ground.
The electric fuel cell propulsion system onboard the Ion Tiger has the benefits of low noise and signature of a battery-powered UAV, while taking advantage of hydrogen, a high-energy fuel. Fuel cells create an electrical current when they convert oxygen and hydrogen into water, with only heat and water as byproducts.
The 550-Watt fuel cell onboard the Ion Tiger has about four times the efficiency of a comparable internal combustion engine and the system provides 7 times the energy in the equivalent weight of batteries. The Ion Tiger carries a 4 to 5 pound payload and weighs approximately 37 pounds.
Thanks to the high energy in the fuel cell system onboard the Ion Tiger, it is now possible to do long endurance missions with an electric UAV, thus reducing the number of daily launches and landings and allowing a larger cruise range.
” Fuel cells create an electrical current when they convert oxygen and hydrogen into water, with only heat and water as byproducts. ”
This is completely wrong.
A fuel cell takes hydrogen gas and makes electricity by splitting the hydrogen into its constituent electron and protron. The protron passes directly through the membrane, while the electron cannot pass through the membrane and is bypassed into an electrical circuit where the electron flow is captured to create electricity. When both particles pass to opposite side of the membrane, they recombine and mix with oxygen (from air) to create water as a byproduct.
The act of combining the two elementary particles and air HAS NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with the creation of electricity.
The author does not appear to understand the subject very well.