US and Israel developing hydrogen-powered military drones

A new partnership has formed between Mach Industries in California and Heven Drones in Israel to create hydrogen-powered drones for the U.S. military. This collaboration aims to enhance military capabilities and compete with China in the drone market. The key product from this partnership is the H2D250 drone. It can reach targets up to 180 miles away and carry a warhead weighing 22 pounds. The CEO of Heven Drones, Benzion Levinson, mentioned they plan to produce around 1,000 H2D250 drones per month, with a goal to increase production to 1,000 drones each day in the future. This project builds on years of research into hydrogen fuel cells in the United States. NASA previously explored using hydrogen and solar power in unmanned aircraft during the 1990s. The Office of Naval Research is also looking into hydrogen power, aiming to create practical solutions for military use. Hydrogen fuel cells have benefits such as reduced noise and heat compared to traditional engines, making drones harder to detect. They also produce only water as a byproduct, which aligns with the military's goal to cut carbon emissions. One pound of hydrogen can provide about 10 hours of flight time. Additionally, Heven Drones is working on hydrogen refueling stations for remote areas. This could help lessen dependence on vulnerable supply chains for fuel. However, a significant challenge remains: China is a major supplier of essential materials for battery production. As Mach Industries and Heven Drones develop these hydrogen drones, they hope to innovate military technology and create a domestic supply chain for drone components, thus strengthening U.S. capabilities in the competitive drone market.