Hydrogen drones offer enormous potential: they can stay in the air for hours and reach remote areas to perform critical tasks—whether it’s inspecting power lines, monitoring wildfire-prone regions, or transporting urgently needed medical supplies. But what happens when these drones need to refuel after a successful mission? Even in urban centers like Hamburg, hydrogen is only available in a few locations. In remote areas, where hydrogen drones could be most beneficial, there is often no infrastructure at all. This is exactly where the HYDRO-BUNNY project comes in.
Autonomous and Mobile – Hydrogen on Demand
One solution to this challenge is the development of a mobile, self-sufficient hydrogen refueling station. As part of the HYDRO-BUNNY project (Hydrogen Drone Refueling Operations – Base Utilization Navigation Network Yard), the hydrogen experts at ZAL GmbH are working on such a station. The core of this refueling unit is an electrolyzer that produces hydrogen on-site and stores it in a tank. But the concept goes even further: the station will not only supply hydrogen but will also be fully self-sufficient, powered by renewable energy—a sustainable solution for operating drones in remote areas.
Goal: Automated Drone Operations
The project’s vision goes even further. An automated landing and refueling system will be developed, allowing drones to operate completely autonomously. In wildfire-prone regions, for example, drones could take off independently to monitor large areas—without any human intervention. In the future, operations could look like this:
- The drone lands on an automated landing system.
- It is moved into a hangar and taken to the hydrogen refueling station.
- A refueling robot connects the drone to the hydrogen tank.
- Once refueling is complete, the drone takes off for its next mission.
The project kicked off in January 2025. In addition to ZAL GmbH, the partners include IFPT, Mb+Partner, and Teccon. Thanks to previous collaborations among the partners, Hydrobunny benefits from experience and findings from the H2-Finity and LiquiDrone initiatives. Together, the goal is to develop a solution that is both technically and economically viable—bringing hydrogen drones exactly where they are needed most in the future.
Are you interested in hydrogen drones or have questions about the HYDRO-BUNNY project? Share your thoughts with us and give us a call:
Partners:
Teccon
mb+Partner
ZAL GmbH
IFPT Institute for Aircraft Production Technology
