SKYCORP Technologies develops hydrogen-powered drones designed for long and complex missions.
According to founder Marek Alliksoo, the company focuses specifically on life-saving and defence-related operations, especially in areas where Chinese drones are still being used, despite growing concerns about their security.
One of the biggest problems in the drone industry is short flight time. Regular battery drones need to land every 20–30 minutes to recharge or change batteries. “Missions would become more useful if the flight time were two hours instead of 20 minutes. From the drone, it’s possible to increase situational awareness, find a missing person in the forest faster, locate a fire, or detect illegal border crossings,” said Alliksoo.
An innovative solution
“The drone itself still runs on electricity, but our electricity is stored in the form of hydrogen, not in heavy batteries, and is therefore three times as energy-dense as aviation fuel,” Alliksoo explained.
“The fuel cell turns it back into electricity during the flight through an electrochemical process,” he added.
In addition to the commonly used L1 frequency, which is especially easy to jam in the case of GPS, SKYCORP also uses the L5 frequency and augmentation (EGNOS), which refines and verifies data in real time. This increases reliability even in complex situations.
If a drone replaces 100 hours of driving per month, annual CO₂ emissions decrease by more than nine tonnes. The environmental impact is even greater if, for example, helicopter tasks are replaced. “Also, since we’re an unmanned platform, it is always safer than having a person in a helicopter, so we can enable taking on greater risks,” said Alliksoo.
The idea came by chance
Initially, SKYCORP Technologies had no plans to develop hydrogen drones. “We wanted to build bridges and solve problems in Asia with European solutions. We found a partner who offered drones for the defense sector, and they asked us for a drone for the local police that couldn’t be a fixed-wing drone, couldn’t have an internal combustion engine, but still had to fly for at least one hour,” Alliksoo recalled – that’s when the right technology was found.
“The prototype was difficult because at the time there were no crises or wars that would have changed the understanding of the need for energy security, hardware, drones, defence, and the broader integration of deep technologies,” said Alliksoo. The first-generation drone was also validated through ESA BIC, and even then it became clear that GPS alone is not enough.
The second-generation drone was launched in May. This summer, testing will begin in cooperation with partners to improve the working methodology and to integrate sensors and various functions. At the end of the year, EASA type certification is planned, which would allow the drone to be used in higher-risk operations across Europe.
The cooperation with Sparkup Tartu Science Park has helped the startup to build the necessary infrastructure, network, and customer base.
The desire to create a nationwide system
According to Alliksoo, the company is moving toward creating an autonomous ground infrastructure, where drones can refuel themselves. To cover all of Estonia, 12–16 drone stations would be enough. The ultimate goal is to create a cross-border, autonomous network that responds exactly where needed.
In addition, there is currently no control system on the market that would suit both civil and defence use and meet technical requirements. That’s why sub-systems are also being further developed.
“Our main mission is to save lives and change the world. It’s an incredibly exciting and promising field, and if someone is looking for a place to contribute, we recommend looking toward security, energy, climate, food security, engineering, and life-saving – together we can make a difference,” encourages Alliksoo.
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In the fall of 2024, SKYCORP Technologies was selected to join the Mobility and Logistics Green Accelerator, receiving €30,000 in support to develop innovative green technologies that can help make Estonia a greener place. The Green Accelerator is led by Sparkup Tartu Science Park, in partnership with Baltic Innovation Agency and supported by the Ministry of Climate and the Environmental Investment Centre.
