Hydrogen fuel cell drone in full-scale combat duty

20 Jan Hydrogen fuel cell drone in full-scale combat duty

(Oilandgaspress) – Ukraine has reportedly sent a hybrid hydrogen-powered drone into combat for the very first time. A hybrid version of the Skyeton’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), featuring an electric motor powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, has entered full-scale combat duty with a unit of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Since December 2025, as part of interagency testing, the unmanned aircraft has been performing missions in the combat zone.

To utilize hydrogen effectively, Skyeton engineers developed a new airframe architecture for the Raybird, adapted for the integration of the new fuel system. The new design was created to distribute space and weight for the hydrogen power system properly and has been optimized for the mass production of this UAV variant.

The Raybird UAS is used for long-range reconnaissance missions. By utilizing hydrogen-electric propulsion, the platform offers enhanced operational efficiency and environmental benefits for both defense and civilian applications.

The mass-produced Raybird, which runs on an internal combustion engine (ICE), allows for a flight endurance of over 28 hours. As of January 2026, the hybrid version of the drone can remain airborne for approximately 12 hours.

Skyeton engineers are currently focused on increasing the hybrid Raybird’s flight endurance to 20 hours. The hydrogen fuel cell drone is currently preparing for the codification process to enable broader adoption by units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

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