Thermal control of a hydrogen-powered uncrewed aerial vehicle for crossing the Atlantic Ocean

• Published in: Aerospace science and technology 2024-12, Vol.155, p.109667, Article 109667
• Main Authors: Gavrilovic, Nikola, Leng, Yuchen, Moschetta, Jean-Marc
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air intake system; Fuel cell; Fuselage thermal control; Hydrogen-powered system; UAV
• ISSN: 1270-9638
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ast.2024.109667

The Drone Mermoz project aims to evaluate the feasibility of an uncrewed aircraft system powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, designed to traverse the Atlantic Ocean. The aircraft must complete a journey of 3000 km with a minimum endurance of 36 hours. In addition to ensuring sufficient onboard energy, a critical requirement is the stable operation of the entire propulsion system throughout the journey. This paper outlines the developmental stages, theoretical modeling, and experimental testing of a thermal management system designed for a long-range uncrewed aircraft system equipped with hydrogen fuel cell-based propulsion. The 4-meter, sub-25 kg aircraft is engineered to undertake a 3000 km journey from Dakar, Senegal to Natal, Brazil. A critical challenge in developing this hydrogen-powered drone is designing an efficient thermal management system to ensure continuous ventilation of the fuselage. While one side of the system involves the fuel cell generating electricity for aircraft propulsion, the other side must effectively dissipate a substantial amount of heat to ensure the stable operation of the entire system. •Hydrogen fuel cell drone aims to fly 3000 km across the Atlantic in 36 hours.•Paper develops and tests a thermal management system for long-range UAV flight.•Variable NACA inlet improves airflow control, enhancing fuel cell system reliability.•Hydrogen fuel cells offer up to five times more flight hours than lithium-based batteries.