Unmanned Systems Technology 022 | XOcean XO-450 l Radar systems l Space vehicles insight l Small Robot l BMPower FCPS l Prismatic HALE UAV l InterDrone 2018 show report l UpVision l Navigation systems

64 The cylinder is manually replaced, without the need to use special tools. The process takes two minutes at most, Ivanenko remarks. He adds that also offered is a portable device for refuelling Linde’s hydrogen cylinders in the field that does not require electrical power and is designed to be easy to operate. It consists of a high-pressure reactor into which a removable hydride cartridge and a container of water are inserted. When the water comes into contact with the hydride, hydrogen is generated. The replaceable cartridge contains the necessary amount of hydride for refilling the high-pressure cylinder of a given volume to the working pressure. Between periods of use, the hydrogen cylinders need to be stored in a ventilated room or outdoors. Leakage is as per aviation standards – the pressure drop of a 10 litre tank stored in this way is no more than 3.1 bar per month. The project BMPower was founded in 2016 to carry out r&d into fuel cell engineering, production and the supply of the FCPS for UAV and other unmanned system applications. Ivanenko reports that analysis by the renowned Boston Consulting Group suggests that multi-rotor UAV operation will exceed one million vehicles by 2030, and that the market will then be worth $35 billion. It also forecasts a 30% penetration by fuel cell systems, which if anywhere near accurate means BMPower has a very lucrative market in its sights. By 2017, BMPower had 15 patents and had completed 15 successful projects. Prior to 2016 there had been r&d work, from which the company emerged. The first working prototype was produced by BMPower in January 2017, and that had a plastic rather than metal main fuel cell module housing. With careful design, the current metal housing has added to the unit’s ruggedness, without increasing weight. Indeed, over time, the BMPower FCPS has been made lighter and more efficient, Ivanenko says. As of 2018, BMPower was described by Ivanenko as at the “market penetration” stage of its development as an FCPS supplier. In other words it was demonstrating its technology to potential customers, as well as testing it in the field in selected applications. Ivanenko remarks that the “series production” stage is just around the corner. He notes that the unit’s geometry can be modified to suit specific customer requirements. BMPower provides engineering support for fitting its system to any existing battery-powered vehicle. It also offers a repair kit for in-field use. At the time of writing, the system had been installed in a number of UAVs in place of regular lithium batteries. Ivanenko remarks that even more can be made of the potential of the system for long flights if such a vehicle is specifically designed around it. He adds that a number of vehicle manufacturers are interested in this possibility. He says an agreement has been signed with global delivery company 3PL to develop a fuel cell multi-rotor option where it currently relies on helicopters. However, it isn’t just multi-rotor applications that are in development. Chinese company IDS is looking to This quadcopter is powered by BMPower’s 1000 W FCPS. Its maximum take-off weight is 11 kg, it can carry up to 2.5 kg of payload and can fly for two-and-a-half hours (the same vehicle with lithium batteries manages only 30 minutes) Analysis suggests that multi-rotor UAV operation will exceed a million vehicles by 2030, a market worth $35 billion, with a 30% penetration by fuel cells October/November 2018 | Unmanned Systems Technology