Aurora Flight Sciences use fuel cell technology to push the limits of UAS flight range.
In 2024, Aurora Flight Sciences started to test their fuel-cell-powered SKIRON-XLE, a new addition to their SKIRON Expeditionary small uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) product line. The new craft has been designed for long-range reconnaissance for commercial and military customers.
The Intelligent Energy fuel cell-powered SKIRON-XLE weighs just 54 pounds and is easily transported in a standard truck or SUV and deployed by a two-person crew.
By allowing for more energy to be added to a UAS without a concurrent increase in weight which would come with conventional battery packs, fuel cells improve flight range, thus allowing airframes like the SKIRON-XLE to see flight times over 7 hours, crucial for long-range reconnaissance.
Aurora plan to offer the SKIRON-XLE for commercial and military applications in 2025.
Applications for IE-SOAR:
- Parcel delivery
- Linear Inspection
- Cinematography
- Civil Inspection
- Agriculture
- Military Surveillance
- LiDAR and Mapping
