The Application of Fuel-Cell and Battery Technologies in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs): A Dynamic Study

The harmful impacts of fossil-fuel-based engines on the environment have resulted in the development of other alternatives for different types of vehicles. Currently, batteries and fuel cells are being used in the automotive industry, while promising progress in the maritime and aerospace sectors is foreseen. As a case study in the aerospace sector, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was considered. The goal and the novelty of this study are in its analysis of the possibility of providing 960 W of power for a UAV with a weight of 14 kg using a hybrid system of a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery and proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The dynamic performance of the system was analyzed considering three different load profiles over time in an optimized condition. PEMFC was the main supplier of power, while the battery intervened when the power load was high for the PEMFC and the system demanded an immediate response to the changes in power load. Additionally, the impacts of the operating temperature and the C-rate of the battery were characterized by the state of the charge of the battery to better indicate the overall performance of the system.