Intelligent Energy signed a deal with PINC supply its air cooled fuel cell systems for UAVs as the company moves forward with the commercialisation of its technology. PINC uses UAVs to identify and orchestrate hard-to-reach inventory and assets in the global supply chain and is the leading provider of yard management, finished vehicle logistics, and inventory robotics solutions to the world’s largest manufacturers, retailers and contract logistics providers.
PINC will operate the fuel cell powered UAVs alongside battery operated UAVs as part of its inventory robotics offering, which provides real-time inventory tracking by air. The company’s unmanned aircraft system (UAS), ‘PINC Air’, allows companies to apply drone technology, coupled with advanced RFID and optical sensor capabilities, to significantly improve the operational effectiveness and efficiency of inventory checks. Longer flight time is essential to the development of its customer offering and Intelligent Energy’s fuel cell systems will provide this.
The Intelligent Energy fuel cells will also deliver fast refuel capabilities and flexibility for varying payloads, addressing some of the biggest challenges for users. This is particularly evident in the commercial space where UAVs are increasingly being used for a number of applications including inspections, search and rescue and film and photography.
“I am delighted to announce the first sales of our fuel cell systems for UAV application” said Julian Hughes, Senior VP Intelligent Energy Inc. “PINC is leading the way with the use of hydrogen fuel cell UAVs in the supply chain and we are certain they will be impressed with the benefits our fuel cells will offer over conventional batteries. We look forward to a long relationship with them.”
Martin Bloom, Group CEO at Intelligent Energy, added that PINC is based in California, a state that is proactively adopting hydrogen and that the company sees the region as a significant market for Intelligent Energy’s range of market-ready fuel cell products.
According to Matt Yearling, CEO at PINC, Intelligent Energy’s fuel cell will enable PINC’s inventory robotics solutions to perform more effectively and efficiently, thereby transforming the way organisations do inventory checks inside and outside of manufacturing plants and warehouses.
Working prototypes of Intelligent Energy’s fuel cell systems for UAVs were showcased last year at InterDrone.
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