Recently, the Qingyao-10 hydrogen-powered multirotor drone successfully completed its first test flight using liquid hydrogen energy. The flight was jointly carried out by the Harbin Institute of Technology Chongqing Research Institute and Shaanxi Tongchen Heguang Cryogenic Technology Co., Ltd. (“Tongchen Heguang”), marking the first time in China that a multirotor drone achieved over 3.5 hours of continuous flight powered by liquid hydrogen.
In this test, Tongchen Heguang provided the liquid hydrogen power solution, including a self-developed 12L liquid hydrogen storage and supply system as well as an efficient refueling method, offering full technical support from hydrogen storage to refueling. The Harbin Institute of Technology Chongqing Research Institute was responsible for drone system development. The collaboration ensured stable and reliable technical support for the long-endurance test flight.
The mission lasted continuously for more than 3.5 hours, with over 40% of the hydrogen fuel remaining at the end of the flight. This indicates a total endurance capacity of 7–8 hours and a range exceeding 300 km, setting a new domestic record for multirotor drones using liquid hydrogen. During the test, the drone successfully performed climbing, cruising, hovering, and landing maneuvers, with both the flight control system and fuel cell running smoothly throughout.
The Qingyao-10 was developed by the Hydrogen Power and Low-Carbon Energy Research Center of the Harbin Institute of Technology Chongqing Research Institute. It completed its maiden flight earlier this year and successfully carried out a real-world mission in June for Southern Power Grid inspection. Multiple flight trials have shown its strong environmental adaptability, capable of operating continuously in a temperature range of -30 to 45°C and at altitudes up to 4000 meters. Compared with conventional lithium-battery multirotor drones, the Qingyao-10 achieves 2.5 times longer endurance, combining the hovering advantages of rotorcraft with the ability to replace lithium-powered VTOL fixed-wing drones of the same class.
A project lead stated that this test flight verified the technical feasibility of liquid hydrogen power systems on highly maneuverable multirotor platforms, laying the foundation for future commercial applications. Moving forward, the two parties will continue advancing cryogenic hydrogen storage technologies and expand cooperation with industry partners to promote the large-scale and commercial application of hydrogen energy in the low-altitude economy.
References
- Harbin Institute of Technology Chongqing Research Institute official release
- Shaanxi Tongchen Heguang Cryogenic Technology Co., Ltd. reports
