Fuel cell helicopter takes to the skies

21st December 2009


utc-fuel-cell-helicopter http://platinum.matthey.com/media-room/news-room/fuel-cell-helicopter-takes-to-the-skies/19523415.html

A helicopter powered by a fuel cell has taken its first flight in Connecticut, the Hartford Courant reported on Saturday (19th December).

The Maxi-Joker 2, an unmanned, remote-controlled vehicle built from a kit by United Technologies Corporation (UTC), took to the skies near Rentschler Field in October.

Although it is unlikely to become commercially viable, the company believes that the helicopter was the first of its kind to successfully lift off using a fuel cell power plant.

"Our role is to show what's possible technology-wise," Craig Walker, Programme Leader at UTC's research arm United Technologies Research Center, told the publication.

"A helicopter is a real challenge from a power density perspective. That's what engines strive for. For a helicopter, power has to be extremely high just to get it off the ground."

The Maxi Joker was traditionally run on lithium ion batteries, but was modified to feature proton exchange membrane fuel cells capable of 1.75kW in output and more than 500W per kg in power density.

According to the publication, it weighed 22lbs and its rotors were approximately two metres in diameter.

UTC, which was established in 1929, received over $5 billion in military contracts in 2005.

It is probably a military prototype. That's just large enough to outfit with recon equipment.

This unit carries a high definition video camera and can fly through a doorway..

http://www.gizmag.com/cyberquad-uav/13652/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=f4d3943e09-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email

http://www.joker-usa.com/maxi-joker2.htm

And I've seen even bigger (toy) ones.

It's kind of Ironic that we pay these peckerwoods 5 Billion a year for the latest technology when they have to go to China to get the equipment for a proof of concept.