Chongqing - The new hydrogen drone Yuxiang II designed by the young scientists from the Chongqing Institute of Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT Chongqing), took its maiden flight on June 12.

The graduate student team led the project from the institute's Research Center for Hydrogen Power and Low-Carbon Energy. This team has rolled out five hydrogen drones, including Qingou-30, which had its first flight this March.

The new drone can carry six kilograms maximum and operate fixed-position delivery. Other than its fashionable outlook, this drone equips with a high-power fuel cell system. The body is made of a carbon fiber frame, with a hydrogen cylinder – the storage core of the hydrogen flying machine - fixed on the top.

As one of the three models the crews are working on, Yuxiang is distinguished by multirotor and large-capacity load. Qingou is an enduring vertical takeoff and landing fixed wing model specializing in missions requiring long-range flight. Yixiang is the least discussed model by the media and can take off via an ejection method.

Those drones are not mature products that can be commercialized yet, but the experiments from the HIT students who specialize in hydrogen drones. The differences between the three models cover the most common use of drones in many situations. In fact, the sky is the limit when it comes to these applications: long-range inspection, emergent rescue, border patrol, topographic survey, and more. 

Shen Yiling, the leader of the hydrogen drone team, became an aircraft dreamer during his undergraduate. He joined the model airplane association in his freshman year and later took part in two China Aeromodelling Design Challenges, in which he won a number of national awards. He continued to pursue his master's degree at HIT and came to Chongqing in the second year to join the project of making hydrogen drones led by his professor.

"I hope one day that our works can be applied in real scenarios," he said.

His dream is in practice. HIT Chongqing is supported by Chongqing Liangjiang New Area and will move into the new office established near Mingyue Lake, where dozens of research institutions are gathered, making the place a village of smart brains. The local authority provides an elegant environment plus rent concessions and subsidies for the talents and hopes that the scientists will nurture industrial fruits to boost the local economic transformation.

The innovation strength has initially started to produce results. The innovation zone around Mingyue Lake, with 46 research institutions settled, has seen over 190 technological results being transformed into the industry, accounting for about 28 million dollars, according to Chongqing Daily's recent report.