The company said its adapted Raybird UAS had been performing missions in the combat zone since December as part of interagency testing.

Over the course of two years, Skyeton engineers developed a new airframe for its traditionally internal combustion engine (ICE)-powered Raybird UAV to integrate the new hydrogen fuel system.

Designed to distribute space and weight for the hydrogen powertrain, the new drone is being used for “long-range reconnaissance” missions.

Skyeton says the hydrogen-electric platform offers “enhanced” operational efficiency, though current endurance is limited to around 12 hours, compared with more than 28 hours for the ICE-powered variant.

Despite the reduced flight time, the company said the new drone offers “negligible” heat signature, “significantly” reduced noise, and a higher operational altitude range.

However, the company is now focused on increasing the platform’s endurance to 20 hours of flights, with the team preparing for the codification process to enable its wider use by Ukrainian forces.

UAVs have become one of the defining technologies of the war between Ukraine and Russia, reshaping how both sides conduct reconnaissance, targeting and battlefield surveillance.

Long-range reconnaissance drones play a critical role in locating troop movements, logistics hubs and artillery positions well behind the front line.

Skyeton’s hydrogen-powered Raybird adaptation is intended to address these requirements.

Reduced acoustic and thermal signatures are particularly valuable in a battlespace saturated with sensors, where conventional internal combustion UAVs are increasingly detectable both acoustically and via infrared systems.

“We have converted two years of laboratory testing into a new aircraft concept,” said Skyeton CEO, Roman Knyazhenko. “Hydrogen fuel is a solution that allows us to combine all the advances of an electric motor…with the long-duration continuous flight that is a hallmark of our UAV.”