Aju Business Daily

SEOUL -- For the precise and real-time detection of illegal ships, Doosan Mobility Innovation, a drone solution provider in South Korea, partnered with a maritime ICT company to develop a safe voyage solution by using hydrogen fuel cell drones that can fly for more than two hours.

Doosan Mobility Innovation (DMI) said in a statement on January 19 that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Marineworks, which provides smart ship solutions. They would develop a technology to help ships operate safely by providing images collected and analyzed by hydrogen drones to the ship's digital chart master.

Previously, it was difficult for ships to precisely detect illegal ships that were not caught on radar, but DMI said that real-time monitoring using hydrogen drones would allow ships to check illegal ships on time and take necessary safety measures preemptively. DMI will develop a new hydrogen drone that can withstand strong winds and take off and land safely on board.

The range of multi-copter drones, which are now used widely, is limited due to their relatively short battery life. Hydrogen fuel cell drones with an extended flight time could become a game-changer in the global market for unmanned flying systems.

"Drones are easier to operate than helicopters, so they are very useful in the ocean," DMI CEO Lee Doo-sun said. "We will contribute to the safe and efficient operation of ships by loading Marineworks' marine control technology into hydrogen drones that can fly for a long time."

DMI said it would enhance the use of hydrogen drones in various areas such as patrols, security, emergency rescue support, and logistics transfer across land and sea. The company has been involved in a government project to supply hydrogen fuel cell drones for military use.