Unmanned Aerial Vehicles using alternative fuel for American army
The American army is using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Afghanistan which is nearly untraceable from the ground. They are used heavily by defense forces in overseas missions when uniformed men are already at a disadvantage by just being at a totally foreign and hostile territory. Using UAVs terrain can be scanned and intelligence can be gathered. It is also a possible that it flies on alternative fuels. UAVs are used to minimize loss of life of soldiers and pilots in dangerous zones. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is developing an improved version of these aircrafts that can travel to distant places more efficiently and more quietly and run on the newer fuel cell technology.
Unmanned aircrafts managed remotely or autonomously, were an essential part of the overseas operations. UAVs acted as “eyes in the sky” for dangerous missions minimizing loss of lives. Development of UAVs run on alternative fuels is exhibited by Ion Tiger. Ion tiger is a UAV research program at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) that combines two separate efforts — UAV technology and fuel cell systems. The Ion Tiger is utilizing a hydrogen-powered fuel cell. Few benefits of using hydrogen-powered fuel cell are zero poisonous emissions, lesser heat and minimum noise.
UAV can also carry heavier loads and travel farther because hydrogen-powered fuel cells produce an electric current at the time of the conversion of hydrogen and oxygen into water. So the by-product, water, is pollution free. Its fuel cell propulsion system can also pack a powerful performance that is potentially twice the efficiency of an internal combustion engine.