Deployable Containerized LH2 Refueling System

NEOEx Systems, Inc. (NEOEx) with joint support from Army Aviation and Air Force Operational Energy will be developing and testing a deployable containerized system for transporting, housing, and operating the autonomous liquid hydrogen refueling system and associated microgrid for remote flight operations of Group 2 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).  The deployable containerized system leverages progress made under the NEOEx Army Aviation ManTech Program and the Air Force STTR Phase 2 Program for developing autonomous liquid hydrogen refueling systems for UAVs.  Objectives include (1) develop mission requirements and system requirements (2) design the system (3) manufacture a prototype of the system and (4) and test the system. NEOEx will also investigate integration of the NEOEx on-board EXTEND™ Energy and Power System liquid hydrogen and fuel cell technology into Air Force and Army end-user aircraft to significantly increase operational range and endurance of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.  Objectives include (1) research existing Group 2 and Group 3 UAV systems (2) research UAV systems currently used by the Department of Defense (DoD) (3) conduct interviews with DoD UAV end-users (4) develop use-cases for long range/long endurance flight capability within the DoD (5) conduct a technical evaluation of integrating NEOEx UAV energy and power systems within existing UAVs used by DoD end users. Finally, NEOEx will conduct conceptual design studies of larger capacity refueling systems and larger group 3 UAVs using the NEOEx on-board liquid hydrogen fuel cell power system.  This new capability has the potential to support global operations while still being based in the continental United States.  The design study would involve trades on various cryogenic refrigeration systems for making the liquid hydrogen locally, larger fuel cell systems for powering the UAVs, and larger on-board liquid hydrogen flight storage systems for even longer flight durations.