FlyH2 Announces the Successful Maiden Flights of Dragonfly V, the Next Generation Hydrogen-Powered UAV  

Cape Town-based FlyH2 Aerospace has announced the successful maiden flights of its hydrogen-electric Dragonfly V, a commercial UAV (or drone) designed for a range of applications requiring long endurance or payload flexibility. The flight tests took place last week in Citrusdal, approximately two hours outside of Cape Town, South Africa.

While there is still a way to go until the Dragonfly V is fully ready for production, the aircraft has already demonstrated remarkable handling and efficiency during its first flights. Dragonfly V is a fixed-wing STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) drone that is targeted for use in multi-mission applications in landscape management such as agricultural pest control, forestry, farm security, and wildfire and wildlife management including anti-poaching. Capable of carrying heavy and high-volume cargo, Dragonfly V is also ideal for long-range humanitarian airdrops. 

“We are thrilled to announce the success of our maiden flight tests for the Dragonfly V,” said Mark van Wyk, a principal founder of FlyH2 and the company’s CEO. “The Dragonfly V is a unique, highly capable, and versatile drone that is priced for commercial operations but with attractive qualities not typically found in its class. We are excited to bring this product to market and offer our customers a reliable and efficient solution for a diverse array of mission requirements.”

FlyH2 is actively raising capital to take its product to market. The company has a growing list of orders and is accepting pre-orders, secured with a deposit, to reserve a place on the waiting list. Once Dragonfly V is production-ready, the aircraft will achieve up to 24 hours of hydrogen-fuelled flight, depending on payload, making it an ideal platform for extended missions.

The use of fuel cells significantly increases the endurance of the Dragonfly V way beyond that which can be achieved with batteries. Electric propulsion offers ease of maintenance, simplicity, and reliability over internal combustion engines. Dragonfly V’s airframe is unusual in that it is modular, equipping operators with the means to customize and switch payloads in order to meet specific mission requirements. It can carry up to five payload pods beneath the wings making it a true multi-mission platform.

Dragonfly V is a next-generation UAV that stands out in the emerging market of larger industrial-grade drones. The aircraft is designed for hard, every day, high-cadence missions, requiring it to be rugged and hardy. FlyH2 is working on a push-to-take-off and push-to-land control system, allowing the aircraft to be flown by low-time pilots. The company is also looking forward to field trials with its partners in sterile insect technique releases, farm security, wildfire monitoring, and humanitarian aid.

“We are proud of the work that has gone into the development of the Dragonfly V,” said Onno Huyser, co-founder of FlyH2. “Our focus on using STOL instead of VTOL greatly reduces cost, increases endurance, and simplifies maintenance. The aircraft offers a promising future for the commercial drone industry. It is a cost-effective solution for a range of wide-area rural applications, and is ideal for fleet operations”.

FlyH2’s success in the development and testing of Dragonfly V signals a bright future for the award-winning company, and its commitment to innovation will continue to drive its success as it brings Dragonfly V to market.