Fuel Cell Drone to Inspect Pipelines – 50 Miles at a Time

It was just last November that we heard how a group of companies used a hydrogen fuel cell drone to deliver medical samples across a 43-mile (69-km) stretch of ocean.

Now, some of the same players are planning to use the same drone for long-distance pipeline inspections.The aircraft in question is a DS30 octocopter, made by Korean drone manufacturer Doosan Mobility Innovation.

It can reportedly fly for up to 120 minutes on one fill of its hydrogen tank, and carry a maximum payload of 5 kg (11 lb) – although the full two-hour flight time is only possible if it’s unladen.For the new project, Doosan has teamed up with Georgia-based Skyfire Consulting and Texas-based fuel cell manufacturer ReadyH2.