Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones are becoming more popular for both recreational and commercial purposes. Due to the limitations of current lithium batteries, manufacturers are looking for alternative power solutions to keep drones in the air longer and reduce the inconvenience of recharging or changing batteries shortly after a flight.
EnergyNova Pte Ltd is a local start-up which designs and manufactures compact, light-weight, and on-demand hydrogen generators, which when paired with a fuel cell, can be used in a wide range of consumer applications including powering drones. With an aim to work towards a prototype that can power a drone for two hours, it was looking to further improve its product’s design and efficiency as it worked on developing its commercially viable product. Through IPI’s online portal, EnergyNova was connected to researchers from Temasek Polytechnic’s Clean Energy Research Centre (CERC), under the School of Engineering, who had developed a proprietary hydrogen generation system that performed better than conventional systems.
A research collaboration agreement was inked to integrate Temasek Polytechnic’s technology in EnergyNova’s hydrogen generation system as well as a licensing agreement which allows EnergyNova to commercialise its improved hydrogen fuel cell system.
“This technology partnership with Temasek Polytechnic will enable EnergyNova to improve the performance of our hydrogen generation system and accelerate time to market ahead by approximately 12 months. We are truly excited to work with Temasek Polytechnic to develop this cutting-edge technology and look forward to working with drone manufacturers to develop more compact hydrogen generation solutions to power their drones for even longer flights in the near future,” said Dr George Zhang, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at EnergyNova.
Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are increasingly popular for both recreational and commercial use. However, their widespread adoption is limited by the short flight times imposed by current lithium battery technology. Manufacturers and users alike face the inconvenience of frequent recharging or battery changes, which restricts operational efficiency and limits the potential for drones in extended applications. EnergyNova, as a start-up focused on hydrogen-based power solutions, recognised the need to overcome these limitations. Their goal was to develop a prototype hydrogen generator system capable of powering a drone for up to two hours—significantly longer than what conventional batteries could offer. Achieving this required not only improving the design and efficiency of their existing product but also integrating advanced technology that could outperform traditional hydrogen generation systems. The challenge was compounded by the need to bring a commercially viable product to market quickly, ahead of competitors, while ensuring that the new system would be compact, lightweight, and suitable for integration with fuel cells in drone applications.
IPI Singapore connected EnergyNova with researchers from Temasek Polytechnic’s Clean Energy Research Centre (CERC) through its online portal, facilitating a strategic technology partnership. This collaboration enabled EnergyNova to access and integrate Temasek Polytechnic’s proprietary hydrogen generation system, which demonstrated superior performance compared to conventional alternatives. Through a research collaboration agreement, the two parties worked together to incorporate Temasek Polytechnic’s technology into EnergyNova’s hydrogen generation system. In addition, a licensing agreement was established, granting EnergyNova the rights to commercialise the improved hydrogen fuel cell system. This partnership not only enhanced the performance and efficiency of EnergyNova’s product but also accelerated its time to market by approximately 12 months, positioning the start-up to better serve the growing needs of drone manufacturers seeking longer flight durations.
"This technology partnership with Temasek Polytechnic will enable EnergyNova to improve the performance of our hydrogen generation system and accelerate time to market ahead by approximately 12 months. We are truly excited to work with Temasek Polytechnic to develop this cutting-edge technology and look forward to working with drone manufacturers to develop more compact hydrogen generation solutions to power their drones for even longer flights in the near future."
EnergyNova Pte Ltd is a Singapore-based start-up specialising in the design and manufacture of compact, lightweight, and on-demand hydrogen generators. Their technology, when paired with a fuel cell, is suitable for a wide range of consumer applications, including powering drones.