Development of hybrid-powered, sustainable multi-purpose drone system: An analysis model

With an increasing demand for drones, those employing hydrogen fuel cell-based propulsion systems are being investigated. Furthermore, hybrid propulsion systems combining fuel cells and batteries have been proposed to increase drone endurance. However, the existing tools for analyzing drone systems under various flight conditions are insufficient. Herein, we propose a fuel cell-battery-based drone model for analyzing the status and dynamic characteristics of drone components under various flight conditions. The dynamic characteristics and status monitoring of the developed drone system and its components can be monitored using three flight profile cases. The drone system model proposed in this study can be analyzed by applying a power-split strategy considering the stability and safety of the hybrid power supply. These results may facilitate the determination of basic design specifications for prototype unmanned or manned drones and the performance evaluation of component controllers, thereby enabling the commercialization of hydrogen-air mobility.