The first cargo drone equipped with a Huzhou-produced hydrogen power system takes off in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, on Oct 25. [Photo/WeChat account: deqingfabu]

The first cargo drone equipped with a cutting-edge hydrogen power system completed its cross-island flight in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, on Oct 25. The hydrogen power system was produced by Zhejiang Hydrogen Craft Co based in Deqing county, Huzhou.

Amid challenging weather conditions, the drone, under the control of an operator, took off from Liuheng Island and flew across the sea to deliver medical supplies to Xuanshan village on Xuanshan Island, covering over 18 kilometers in a mere 25 minutes.

This successful mission underscored the hydrogen system's potential to lengthen drones' flight times, bringing more possibilities to the application of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Zhong Dahong, drone supervisor at Hydrogen Craft, was responsible for the flight. "The hydrogen power system makes up for the weakness of lithium batteries, increasing maximum possible flight time by two times to one hour," said Zhong.

Zhejiang Hydrogen Craft Co is a high-tech enterprise in Deqing focusing on the R&D, production, and innovative application of lightweight hydrogen fuel cells.