Share Source: online.ua
The Raybird hybrid drone from the Ukrainian company Skyeton with a hydrogen-fueled electric motor has begun combat duty in one of the units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, the developer company reported.
Main theses:
- The Ukrainian Raybird reconnaissance drone is equipped with a hydrogen-fueled electric motor, which allows it to reduce thermal and acoustic footprint, expand the operating altitude range, and increase operational efficiency.
- The drone can stay in the air for about 12 hours and operate in a temperature range from -35 to +55 degrees Celsius, which makes it different from other similar devices.
Ukrainian reconnaissance drone Raybird has a hydrogen-fueled electric motor
Since December 2025, the unmanned aircraft has been performing combat missions at the front as part of interdepartmental tests.
This drone is used for long-term reconnaissance missions. The use of hydrogen-electric propulsion reduces the thermal and acoustic footprint, expands the operating altitude range, and increases the platform's efficiency.
Share
As of January 2026, this version of the drone can stay in the air for about 12 hours. The new UAV is capable of operating in a temperature range from -35 to +55 degrees Celsius.
The company explains that hydrogen fuel allows you to combine the advantages of an electric motor with long continuous flight.
During the development of the hydrogen-hybrid version, a number of technical problems were solved, including those related to the operation of the power plant in different climatic conditions, high hydrogen permeability, and logistics issues.
Skyeton developed the new Raybird version with hydrogen power plant based on the serial Raybird (ACS-3) with internal combustion engine. The UAV could stay in the air for more than 28 hours and was also operated in the temperature range from -35 to +55 degrees Celsius.
Skyeton plans to deliver the hybrid Raybird as a self-contained solution. Units will be able to use replaceable fuel tanks or mobile hydrogen production plants directly on site.
The company's engineers are currently working on increasing the flight duration of the hybrid version to 20 hours. The drone is preparing to undergo the codification procedure for wider use in units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
Share