The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) completed a test flight using Cella’s hydrogen based power system. The system is based on the British company’s solid, lightweight hydrogen storage material which is capable of releasing large quantities of hydrogen when heated. Cella has designed and built a gas generator using this material, which when combined with a fuel cell creates electrical power. The complete system, that is a Cella gas generator along with a fuel cell supplied and integrated by Arcola Energy, is considerably lighter than the lithium ion-battery it replaced.

The work was funded by a grant from Innovate UK and has enabled Cella and Arcola to design and build a power system that could be incorporated into the Raptor E1, built and designed by Trias Gkikopoulos of Raptor UAS.

Cella’s solid-state hydrogen storage technology also addresses the issues that surround the transportation of compressed gaseous hydrogen. Cella’s material is a solid and is not under compression, is stable in air and at temperatures below 500C. For this reason, Cella is also working on aerospace systems with its partner, Safran’s Herakles division, which is soon to become part of Airbus-Safran Launchers, a joint venture between Safran and Airbus.