French DGA showcases innovating Rapace H2 hydrogen-powered drone.

The DGA posted a tweet on November 24 to explain that the hydrogen (fuel cell) Rapace H2 drone was designed to respond to the environmental advances of the French Ministry of the Armed Forces. This is France's first project of this kind, applying a military perspective to hydrogen propulsion in drones. This prototype will enable researchers to study the benefits of using hydrogen technology in drones, particularly in the areas of energy autonomy as well as thermal and acoustic discretion.

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In late May 2023, after several years of studies and design at the Air and Space School (École de l'air et de l'espace, EAE), the Rapace H2 project's first flight took place in the Var department (Picture source: French MoD/Air and Space Force)

In late May 2023, after several years of studies and design at the Air and Space School (École de l'air et de l'espace, EAE), the Rapace project's first flight took place in the Var department. This collaboration between civilian and military teacher-researchers of the Air School's Research Center (Centre de recherche de l’École de l’air, CREA), based at the 701 air base in Salon-de-Provence, and the Laboratory for Innovation in New Energy Technologies and Nanomaterials (Laboratoire d’innovation pour les technologies des énergies nouvelles et nanomatériaux, LITEN) at the Atomic Energy Commission (Commissariat à l’énergie atomique, CEA) was established several years ago. Its objectives: to develop a scientific ecosystem in the south of France and a long-term scientific and technical research partnership, which will enable them to effectively address the challenges they face in the field of hydrogen use.

Angel Scipioni, Project Manager at CREA, explained that hydrogen enables decarbonisation of the aeronautical world. An attempt was carried on in the U.S. a few years ago but did not go further and relied on less advanced technologies.

RAPACE H2’s maiden fight in May 2023 was carried out in the presence of an operator from the Drone Crew Training and Initiation Center (Centre d’initiation et de formation des équipages drones, CIFED): "We were able to carry out the very first hydrogen Rapace flight, after successful ground tests and thanks to favorable weather conditions," said one of the CEA-LITEN engineers-researchers in architecture. He continued: "It was also the very first flight of a closed-cathode, liquid-cooled PAC H2 drone in France and worldwide, outside the United States, and moreover, it was French technology."

The industrial company Atechsys, based in Pourrières in the Var, was chosen for the creation of the drone and its ground station. The hydrogen fuel cell technology used only confirmed France's position in the high-tech market.