Droning on – University entrepreneur aims for world record

Published On Wed 2 Sep 2015 by Roddy Isles

A University of Dundee-based entrepreneur is aiming to set a new world record by sending a drone on the longest ever hydrogen-powered flight for an unmanned aircraft.

Trias Gkikopoulos, from Greece, is a researcher in Life Sciences at the University but he also has a passion for aviation and is a keen pilot as well as a designer of small aircraft.

He has designed and built an ultra-efficient drone with which he plans to smash the existing world record.

“The current distance record is around 120 kilometres, set in the USA, but I think we can get over 400 km,” said Trias. “My aircraft has a very efficient design which I am confident can help it surpass previous efforts.

“As well as the record attempt there is a serious side to this as well for the aviation industry as there is the pressing need to consider renewable energy sources. Hydrogen is a renewable, so if we can prove its efficiency then we can make it a viable alternative to batteries in the first instance and other fuels as time goes on.

“We can get up to five times the lifetime for a hydrogen fuel cell than we can currently get from batteries, so for unmanned aircraft like drones it has great potential.”

Trias is currently awaiting delivery of a hydrogen fuel cell from a manufacturer in Singapore. The next stage is to get a hydrogen cylinder to produce the necessary energy, and then get the final logistics in place for the record attempt.

“I have the necessary clearances for the flight, which I am hoping to do before the winter,” said Trias. “I am looking at flying the drone from Scotland to Norway, or possibly going from Suffolk to the Netherlands.

“However, I need to get additional funding to complete the project and also to support the record attempt. One of the conditions of carrying out the flight is that we have to stay within close distance of the drone, so if we are flying over sea then I need to get hold of a couple of speedboats!”

Trias has launched a crowdfunding appeal to let him carry out his record attempt. Anyone wishing to support him can do so at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1013317620/project-h2u-helping-save-lives-while-breaking-reco

Trias won the University’s Venture competition in 2013 after designing and building an unmanned aircraft for civil, commercial and scientific use. He has worked with national agencies such as Scottish Natural Heritage, using his drones to carry scanning technology to map land, buildings and dunes.

Roddy Isles
Head of Press
TEL: 01382 384910
MOBILE: 07800 581902
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk