In March 2010 I had talked about the Phantom Eye HALE (high altitude long endurance) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by Boeing that was getting ready to take to the skies. Now, Boeing has unveiled its hydrogen-powered aircraft.
Due to a rapid prototyping method this behemoth of a UAV with its 150-foot wingspan will demonstrate that it indeed can stay aloft at 65,000 ft for 4 days, which is an essential for military operations.
The Phantom Eye is powered by a couple of 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engines burning hydrogen fuel creating 150 hp each. The Boeing Phantom Eye will be tested carrying a 450 lb payload while traveling at 150 knots.
The naysayers keep talking about how hydrogen will never take off as an alternative transportation fuel but development of aerial vehicles such as the Phantom Eye proves otherwise. The wagons are circling.
Hydrogen forklifts, buses, UAVs, satellites, submarines, ships, stationary power, power plants, batteries for small electronic devices and eventually cars all powered by hydrogen cannot be ignored. The evidence mounts day by day that hydrogen will play a large roll in a green, alternative fuel future for both civilians and the military.
The Phantom Eye plus other hydrogen powered UAVs I’ve already spoken about add to the evidence that hydrogen transportation is here to stay, so the critics, deniers and naysayers had better get used to that.
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