Aerial vehicle sets record with Protonex fuel cell

A small unmanned aerial vehicle powered by a Protonex fuel cell has set an unofficial endurance record after a flight of more than 23 hours, Protonex Technology Corp. said.

Headquartered in Southborough, Protonex Technology develops and manufactures compact, lightweight, and high- performance fuel cell systems for portable power applications in the 100 to 1,000-watt range.

In a press release, Protonex Technology said that the "Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), through a program sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), has documented a flight endurance record on their small, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the Ion Tiger, utilizing a highly advanced fuel cell system from Protonex. The Ion Tiger UAV flew for over 23 hours, setting an unofficial endurance record for fuel cell powered flight, driven by the latest generation of Protonex' UAV power system." (Globe Staff)