China flies hydrogen-fueled drone

A Chinese manufacturer has unveiled a hydrogen-fueled UAV.

The HyDrone 1800 has an endurance of more than 4 hours, a range of 60 miles and can fly in temperatures below minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit, according to an announcement by MicroMultiCopter Aero Technology Co.

Hydrogen fuel is superior to a lithium-ion battery, the company said.

"It is long-lived, unnecessary to recycle, harmless to the environment, functions in low temperatures, and provides eight times longer flight time than a regular battery. The gas requires the constant presence of oxygen, but is not affected by low temperatures, and thus expands the usage of drones into northern and southern latitudes," the company said.

The UAV uses hydrogen gas compressed into a tank. The vehicle body is made of carbon fiber.

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