Another hydrogen fuel cell drone launches, a drone startup fails, two Chinese drone companies in a patent dispute, Flirtey defibrillator delivery drone flies, the AMA has a message for Congress, insurance drones take to the skies, and a missing woman is located with a drone.
BSHARK and MicroMultiCopter (MMC) have partnered on a hydrogen-powered quadcopter called the Narwhal 2. The aluminum frame, foldable design drone uses an 800 Watt metal-based PEM fuel cell. Hydrogen stored in a 3.5-liter carbon fiber cylinder covered with an aluminum alloy that is good for at least 500 fillings. The Narwhal 2 fuel cell drone has a claimed two-hour flight time and the transmitters have a 30 km range.
BSHARK Narwhal 2- A $6800 hydrogen fuel cell drone
Video: BSHARK Narwhal 2- A hydrogen fuel cell drone with long flight time
For a good overview, see: Will Hydrogen Fuel the Drones of the Future? | 7 Benefits of Hydrogen Over LiPo Drones.
Without advance notice, Airware told employees it was immediately shutting down operations. Airware was a drone operating system startup that had raised $118 million from investors. The company tried to manufacture their own hardware but couldn’t compete with DJI and other Chinese drone manufacturers.
Chinese company Autel Robotics filed a formal complaint against DJI with the US International Trade Commission (ITC) claiming that DJI infringed on two Autel patents. Autel asked the ITC to ban all DJI products from being imported into the US. Thinking Autel was a US company, Chinese social media erupted. When it was understood that Autel was a local company, Chinese social media pointed their anger at Autel.
Flirtey conducted its first official drone flights in Reno, Nevada under the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program. In a simulated delivery of automated external defibrillators, a single operator simultaneously piloted multiple Flirtey drones. Flirtey CEO Matt Sweeney said, “This program runs us through the end of 2020, so we expect that we’ll be regularly saving lives and improving consumer lifestyles through drone delivery in Reno even before that,” Sweeney said. “We’re talking less than 24 months.”
