Top 3 Trends: Energy Drones in Amsterdam

By Dawn Zoldi, CEO, P3 Tech Consulting LLC

As the 8th Annual Energy Drone and Robotics Coalition Summit approaches, I take a moment to reflect on some of the top energy trends I observed recently at Amsterdam Drone Week (ADW), which showcased some of the world’s most cutting edge energy-centric drones. Read on for my take on the top 3 trends in energy drones from ADW.

Trend #1 - Hydrogen Power

Not many companies globally, in the energy sector or otherwise, have focused on hydrogen power for their drones. Remarkably, at ADW, two of the 30-odd drone OEMs at the show designed their hardware with hydrogen at the forefront—and specifically to support energy-related use cases.

Dutch company HyFly displayed its hydrogen VTOL H510 drone. Built for sustainable air transportation of goods, the key features of this aircraft include that it remains emission free and can launch and recover without the need for a large take-off and landing area or runway. The H510 also has a unique tandem tilt-wing wind-resistant design that enables such takeoffs and landings in compact locations and dynamic conditions, from urban to offshore locations. Currently, this medium-sized tubular craft can already haul payloads of more than 10kg at ranges of more than 100 km. However, HyFly owner and CEO Pieter Lantermans revealed that he has plans to build out even more capacity in future models. The H510 can serve a range of critical applications, from emergency medical use cases on rooftops to offshore logistics operations. Lantermanns emphasized, "We created this concept as a sustainable feasible option for offshore locations. If there are goods needed urgently, we can provide that short-response-time alternative."

The University of Applied Sciences Fh Kufstein Tirol also presented its autonomous Tyrol Hydrogen Drone. Developed in collaboration with FEN Research GmbH, Twins GmbH, and Wolftank Adisa GmbH, this prototype hydrogen-powered quadcopter is capable of flying for over three hours at a time. Equipped with a novel swarm algorithm, precision cloud point-based navigation, and dynamic AI mission transformation capabilities, this drone aims to be a force-multiplier for 3D space data collection across various use cases, including SAR operations and energy inspection applications. 

These hydrogen models reflect a world of future possibilities for the energy sector. Hydrogen drones provide exceptional endurance, while setting a new standard in energy efficiency.

Trend #2 - Unique Designs

ADW showcased some of the most novel designs I’ve seen at any show, from small drones through large air taxis.

For example, U.K.-based SeaHorse Air Limited unveiled its SeaHorse H5 (SH5), the world’s first 5-passenger vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) passenger multicopter. The SH5 is designed to fly only over water, at a height of just 50 feet (15 meters) above sea level and is capable of landing on sea or land (at the edge of the sea), within eight seconds of detecting any emergency situation. As such, the SH5 represents a paradigm shift in aerial mobility. Its innovative design and capabilities include its utilization of an aircraft engine fueled by biofuels (such as ethanol) or gasoline, which powers the digital displacement hydraulic propulsion system developed, patented and extensively tested by Flowcopter, which drives its rotors. This approach enhances energy efficiency while enabling longer flights with increased payload capacity. 

The SH5 can fly for three hours non-stop at 120km/hr on 150 liters of net-zero bio fuel, for best-in-class ranges and times five-fold faster than public ferries. Its ability to land in maritime environments opens up new possibilities for transportation in less populated coastal areas and islands. Anurag Gupta, an investor representing the company, explained that because it also comes equipped with an onboard advanced life support system, the SH5 can play a critical role in maritime search and rescue (SAR) operations, relevant to energy stakeholders. “We are unveiling the first flying yacht to ferry people along coasts and islands,” Gupta said. “The ability to land on water is essential and we’ve perfected that.” 

Speaking of VTOL, Japanese air taxi company Skydrive featured its cutting-edge SD-05 multirotor electric VTOL (eVTOL) passenger craft. With less than half the take-off weight as a helicopter, the SD-05 can carry one pilot and two passengers over distances of up to 15 km with a 10-minute flight duration. In comparison, an average point-to-point ride on the SD-05 air taxi will take only seven minutes whereas a comparable trip by train or bus would take 35 minutes. Naohito Adachi, the company’s Chief Technology Officer, explained, "We've developed an eVTOL for a once-in-a-century mobility revolution.” Skydrive remains committed to shaping the future of urban air mobility (UAM) and advanced air mobility (AAM) with this energy-efficient aircraft. Skydrive's technology holds promise to revolutionize transportation across various applications, including offshore energy taxi services. 

Finally, Austrian drone company Stomkind GmbH displayed another one-of-a-kind design—its STR series intermeshing helicopter drones, which include the STR-35 and STR-50 (note: they also have a larger STR-500 and other drones). These feature a Flettner rotor configuration and purposefully lack tail rotors, according to Andreas Desch, the company’s CEO, owner, and founder. This, combined with the aircrafts’ automatic autorotation capabilities distinguish the STR series from other drones. Desch and his team engineered the drones this way to reduce vibration and complexity while enhancing reliability and safety, without the need for parachutes (the long wingspan of the rotors can aid in gliding it down if needed). The STR-35, in particular, can haul payloads up to 35kg and fly maximum speeds of 150 km/hr over distances of 100 km for max endurance limits of up to three hours endurance (note that this endurance can be extended more than six hours with additional fuel tanks at reduced payload capability). This bird comes equipped with state-of-the-art technologies and can integrate others’ components and systems seamlessly to provide turnkey solutions. According to Desch, these drones excel in a wide variety of energy-focused use cases, including enterprise, public safety, and industrial applications, as well as cargo delivery and power line inspections.

Trend #3 - Holistic Solutions

The energy drones at ADW reflect the increased professionalism and maturity of the industry writ large. This is reflected in our final trend—the collaborations, partnerships, and integrations that made the tech at ADW holistic solutions for energy clients.

As one example, Singapore-based ST Engineering Aerospace, presented its DRN-35LS system, part of the company’s larger DroNet ecosystem to facilitate seamless operations. The drone itself, a multi-rotor UAS, has a maximum takeoff weight of 37kg, a range extending up to 14 km, max flight times of 35 minutes, the ability to carry payloads of up to 7kg, and the ability to withstand wind speeds up to 15m/s. ST Engineering’s turnkey solution, however, includes its DroHub control station, DroPort, for drone-in-a-box (DIB) capabilities and DroConnect Smart Web Platform, an intelligent, web-based portal that provides real time drone status updates, live video stream, and data analytics using artificial intelligence (AI). According to Teong Soo Soon, the company’s Senior Vice President (Unmanned Air Systems), the safety mechanisms built into this design enabled ST Engineering to achieve the first beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) approval in Singapore. With applications ranging from shore-to-ship delivery to public safety and energy infrastructure inspection, this system represents a significant advancement in the field of energy drones. 

Drone Volt represented one of several companies that have tightly integrated other companies’ tech to create a best-in-class solution. The company’s made-in-Europe professional-grade Kobra is a versatile quadcopter developed for the surveillance, security, and inspection industries. Company CEO Alex de Looze explained how his team tailored this performance-enhanced aircraft for real-time image analysis and anomaly detection by adding onboard processing capabilities enabled by the Nvidia Xavier AI-ready nanocomputer. The Kobra can also integrate various payloads (up to 5kg) to adapt to mission requirements and then fly up to 30 minutes with it (55 minutes without). It also features a state-of-the-art dual GPS with on-board RTK technology for cm-accurate data. Finally, its command and control (C2) connectivity options range from 4G to Wi-Fi and bluetooth. Among its potential applications, de Looze highlighted energy inspections, public safety, and surveying.

At the end of the day, there were simply too many incredible energy drones at ADW24 to cover. However, the trends and companies featured here, from hydrogen and eVTOLs to highly integrated turnkey energy solutions, provide a representative cross-section of the innovative technology from across the globe featured at the show.

About Dawn M.K. Zoldi: Dawn M.K. Zoldi (Colonel, USAF Ret.) is a licensed attorney, U.S. Air Force veteran and the founder and Chief Executive Officer of P3 Tech Consulting, connecting people who have a passion for advanced tech platforms with the plans, programs, policies and information they need to succeed. Ms. Zoldi was admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1992 and commissioned through direct appointment in the Air Force in July 1993. In her almost 25 years of active duty as a member of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps as a military attorney, she performed a myriad of duties at various command echelons in the continental U.S. and deployed forward. Upon retirement from active duty in 2018, she spent two years with the Office of the Air Force General Counsel as the Business Matters Attorney for the U.S. Air Force Academy and an additional one as the Deputy Director of the Academy’s Center for Character and Leadership Development. She is an internationally recognized expert on uncrewed aircraft systems and advanced air mobility and related sector-specific law and policy. Her recognition includes: MOVE America (Mobility) - The Disruptors (2022), Airwards People’s Choice - Industry Impactor (2022), eVTOL Insights Powerbook (2022), Top 100 Women in Aerospace and Aviation to Follow on LinkedIn (2022, 2021) and the Woman to Watch in UAS - Leadership Award (2019). Her endeavors in the drone law, regulatory and policy arena include roles as a consultant for multiple technology companies, columnist & contributor for several magazines, host of multiple popular weekly podcasts and conference planner. She has strategic partnerships and leadership roles in multiple aerospace, drone education, non-profit, and media-related companies and organizations. She is a former adjunct professor of homeland security, a current graduate-level adjunct for UAS law and policy and the author of the book Unmanned Aircraft Systems Legal and Business Considerations: A Modern Primer for U.S. Commercial Drone Programs. LinkedIn