November 9 (SeeNews) - Bulgarian cargo drone manufacturer Dronamics said on Wednesday that it is joining forces with UK zero-emission aviation technology developer Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS) to work on making hydrogen fuel-cell technology technically and commercially viable for cargo delivery aircraft.
The agreement will see CAeS and Dronamics collaborate on embedding the hydrogen fuel-cell technology developed by the UK company into Dronamics' flagship product, the long-range cargo drone Black Swan, with a view to making it carbon neutral, the Bulgarian start-up said in a press release.
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"Not only will the hydrogen-fuel-cell technology we are currently developing for the 9-seat Britten-Norman Islander change the face of regional aviation, but it will also make a huge impact on the cargo industry. The combined experience and expertise of CAeS and Dronamics is a very exciting prospect," CAeS chief executive Paul Hutton said in the press release.
The announcement comes barely a month after Dronamics unveiled a deal to use fossil-free fuel delivered by UK company Zero Petroleum.
In August, Dronamics made its inaugural step into the UK market by joining a UK government-funded project to put together a medical supply drone network for NHS Scotland, the healthcare system in Scotland.
Dronamics has secured a partnership with German air components manufacturer Cotesa for the production of the Black Swan model at Cortesa's German facilities prior to the start of commercial operations in Europe, which is scheduled for 2023. A similar agreement is in place for manufacturing the drone for the Australasian market at facilities run by listed Australian aerospace components maker Quickstep Holdings.
The Black Swan can carry cargo of up to 350 kg at a distance of up to 2,500 km, significantly cutting cost, time and carbon emissions for logistic deliveries. The Bulgarian start-up in May became the first drone cargo airline to obtain an EU-wide operating licence for the aircraft.
On Tuesday, Dronamics announced that it will conduct part of its long-range test flight programme in partnership with Bulgaria's Balchik Airport, located in the northeast of the country.