Technology.am (Apr. 8, 2009) — First time the U.S. Navy plans to launch an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for a 24-hour endurance flight that carries a 5-pound payload and is powered entirely by a hydrogen-powered fuel cell, called Ion Tiger.

According to the Office of Naval Research, the UAV which can travel farther and carry heavier loads than earlier battery-powered designs; it also boasts “stealthy characteristics” such as reduced noise, low heat signature, and zero emissions (PDF).

Fuel cells convert hydrogen and oxygen into water in a pollution-free process to create an electrical current delivering up to double the efficiency of an internal combustion engine, researchers claim.

The Ion Tiger will use a “500-watt polymer fuel cell with a high specific power system.” Weight will be reduced using high-pressure lightweight hydrogen storage tanks.

This test will show how a surveillance drone can operate economically with less possibility of detection and still exceed the duration of previous flights seven-fold.