A ‘game-changing’ hydrogen-fuelled drone is being marketed by Woolpit tech company uVue.
The MMC Hydrone 1550 offers a drone surveillance capability of around three hours compared to the standard drone operation of 30 minutes, according to its manufacturer.
Built in China, this first UK commercially available hydrogen drone will operate in search and rescue, precision agriculture, security and construction.
The MMC Hydrone 1550, which comes with a $94,000 price tag (excluding shipping and import duties) is a huge breakthrough for the drone service industry, according to Russ Delaney, director of tech ops at uVue, who says it will offer a viable alternative for those using manned helicopters and light aircraft.
Russ, a former British Army helicopter instructor and drone pilot with 20-plus years’ experience in unmanned aerial vehicles, said: “We are delighted to be the first company to have been appointed to distribute and licence this incredible machine in the UK.
“Aside from its robust performance, I am particularly impressed by the endurance of the MMC Hydrone 1550 – up to three hours flight time with a 2kg payload – making this a genuine game-changer in our industry. The endurance of this particular hydrone is so strong that it offers a real alternative to full-sized rotary aircraft.”
Initially, the company will rent out the drone and its pilot but if a company decides to buy the machine then uVue will provide training and equipment.
The MMC Hydrone 1550 will be used this summer to help farmers determine site- specific crop spraying which will enable them to cut back on the use of nitrates.
It has multi-capable payload connectors and is fitted with a 4K video camera.