How Do Propane Fuel Cells Work?

Uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) are playing an increasingly critical role in the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions that take place across complex landscapes around the globe. Whether the ISR mission is a military operation or an effort by border control agents or search-and-rescue teams, UAVs increase the situational awareness that leads to timely and effective decision-making in situations where the stakes are high. What makes uncrewed systems such a crucial tool for achieving an in-field advantage? Developed to carry a wide variety of payloads, UAVs facilitate the gathering and transmission of accurate data to key human actors in real or near-real time for a distinct in-field advantage.

Optical gimbal cameras are often the payload of choice for ISR missions. With a multitude of sensors (color and IR), laser pointers and range finders, geolocation capabilities, image stabilization, optical and digital zoom, and real-time data transmission, these cameras are ideal for a real-time data exchange that provides critical information to decision-makers in the field.  

Automated Tracking to Support the Operator and the Mission

Endurance flight times for small UAV can reach upwards of 20 hours, which means long shifts for the operator to monitor live footage—a mentally taxing endeavor. Two real-time data transmission features that can ease this burden and support those leading the mission are Moving Target Indicator and Object Tracking.

A Moving Target Indicator (MTI) is a comprehensive software function that uses onboarding image processing for data that is transmitted to the ground control station. By clearly differentiating between a moving target and background clutter, MTI provides the human decision-maker with clearer and more actionable intel. When using this feature, the operator is able to select modes such as “large object MTI” or “small object MTI” to more easily spot objects of varying sizes during an ISR mission. In either mode, these objects will not drift out of the UAV’s sights even when the angle or loitering position changes.

Large object MTI specifically helps the operator detect vehicles, drones, planes, and human targets. During a fast-paced mission, this data gives the operator a vital edge. User friendly and quick to respond, large object MTI can be easily switched to “tracking mode” on the indicated object while also continuing to observe and track other moving objects in the frame. This unique ability to toggle between multiple objects allows the operator to focus on the main target without losing coverage on additional moving objects that may provide essential intelligence.

 Small object MTI, on the other hand, assists the operator in challenging environments where the terrain is homogenous (for example, a dense forest), thus making it more difficult for a human operator to detect small or slow-moving targets. This feature automatically extracts valuable intelligence from the video stream in real time, allowing the operator to locate objects in a landscape that is complex or otherwise challenging. Small object MTI helps the operator review images at a much faster rate, allowing for swift yet accurate judgment calls that are crucial to mission success. This feature is especially beneficial in search-and-rescue missions where every passing second could be the difference between life and death. Once the target is located, the operator can zoom in to activate automatic object tracking and relay critical information to the rest of the team.

Whether the ISR  objective is executing military surveillance, locating missing persons during a natural disaster, or monitoring suspicious activity on a national border, payload cameras with Moving Target Indicator and Object Tracking features are not merely the human operator’s “eyes in the sky”—they are an advanced tool that improves situational awareness and accurate data transmission at a speed that can save lives and increase the likelihood of mission success. Edge Autonomy is committed to robust innovations that allow teams to share data and communicate more effectively, thereby improving the outcome of ISR missions in a variety of environments. Interested in the advanced optical gimbal cameras in Edge Autonomy’s Octopus line of ISR systems? Learn more about our cutting-edge solutions here.

A fuel cell converts chemical energy of a fuel, like propane or hydrogen, into cleanly and efficiently produced electricity. Fuel cells are unique in part because of their flexibility and ability to be used in a variety of applications; they can provide power for systems as large as utility power grids and as small as a drone. There are different types of fuel cells, but today we’re going to focus on propane fuel cells.

Why Propane Fuel Cells?

When people think of fuel cells, hydrogen is often the first type to come to mind. They’re reliable in normal conditions and have low greenhouse gas emissions.

However, hydrogen presents a host of limitations: high cost, lack of portability, patchwork delivery infrastructure and unreliable performance in extreme weather conditions. However, it is inefficient to convert hydrogen into power when compared to how efficiently the same process is done with propane.

Just like hydrogen, propane-powered fuel cells burn clean with low-carbon emissions. But propane fuel cells have the added benefits of reliability in extreme temperatures and no routine maintenance requirements.

As a fuel, propane has a host of benefits. It’s cheap, reliable and readily available — even at offgrid or remote locations anywhere in the world. Plus propane does not degrade over time. While diesel can hydrolyze, oxidize or grow microorganisms within six months of storage, propane can remain stable for 10 to 30 years. It’s also great in extreme weather conditions, including freezing temperatures thanks to the lack of liquid water. That’s why our Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) systems can sit idle for years and then cycle on when needed. Especially in remote areas where fuel must be airlifted, the reliability of propane is crucial.

How Propane Fuel Cells Work

Propane fuel cells electrochemically convert propane into electrical power. A fuel cell is composed of an anode, cathode and an electrolyte membrane. An anode is the negative electrode that propane atoms enter into, releasing their electrons and oxidizing during the electrochemical reaction. The cathode is the positive electrode where the positively-charged propane atoms take on electrons from the external circuit and are reduced during the electrochemical reaction. Here’s a quick step by step of the process:

  1. Propane breaks down into hydrogen and carbon monoxide (both fuels for SOFCs).
  2. Hydrogen enters the anode and electrons are ripped away, traveling to the cathode where they combine with oxygen to make an oxygen ion.
  3. The oxygen ion travels through the electrolyte and combines with the electron-deficient hydrogen to form water.
  4. Power is then harnessed by placing a load, battery, pump, light bulb, etc. in the circuit between the anode and the cathode so that the removed electron has to pass through the load device to make its way back to the cathode.
  5. The presence of water and carbon monoxide in an SOFC will react to form carbon dioxide and more hydrogen — this reaction is called the water gas shift reaction.


And propane fuel cells can be used in a wide range of applications thanks to how quiet, clean, and dependable they are. You can see how Adaptive Energy’s customers are utilizing fuel cells for backup and off grid power here.

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