CN109573023B

CN109573023B - Unmanned aerial vehicle with at least one propulsion motor and a fuel cell type energy source

Info

Publication number: CN109573023B
Application number: CN201811130617.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 利昂内尔·托马西
Original assignee: Kong Kezhishengji
Current assignee: Kong Kezhishengji
Priority date: 2017-09-29
Filing date: 2018-09-27
Publication date: 2022-03-29
Anticipated expiration: 2038-09-27
Also published as: FR3071817B1; CA3017873A1; CN109573023A; CA3017873C; FR3071817A1

Abstract

The invention provides an unmanned aerial vehicle (10) comprising: at least one electric motor (1) for providing at least thrust for the unmanned aerial vehicle (10); and at least one source (2) of electrical energy for supplying said at least one electric motor (1) with electrical energy, said at least one source (2) of electrical energy being formed by a fuel cell comprising mainly a tank (3) for storing fuel and secondly at least one single cell (4), said single cell (4) being formed by two electrodes (5 and 6) separated by an electrolyte (26), at least one single cell (4) of said fuel cell being adapted to electrochemically generate electric power between said two electrodes (5 and 6).

Description

Unmanned aerial vehicle with at least one propulsion motor and a fuel cell type energy source

Cross Reference to Related Applications

The present application claims priority to FR1771033 filed on 29/9/2017, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of unmanned aerial vehicles having at least one electric motor for driving at least one rotor or propeller in rotation, so as to be able to provide thrust and possibly also lift to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Background

Such an unmanned aircraft is an aircraft without any pilots or crewmembers on it. Additionally, such aircraft are commonly referred to as "drones" (UAVs).

In a first example, such an unmanned aerial vehicle may have fixed wings formed by wings for providing lift to this type of unmanned aerial vehicle. The fixed wing is then associated with a propeller that provides at least thrust for such an unmanned aerial vehicle.

In a second example, such an unmanned aerial vehicle has a plurality of rotors that together form a set of rotating wings and are capable of providing lift and/or thrust to such an unmanned aerial vehicle.

In a third example, the unmanned aerial vehicles may also be of hybrid type, in which case they feature at least one fixed wing combined with at least one rotating wing. Furthermore, as is appropriate, for example, for convertible aircraft, the rotor may, depending on the case, for example, also be pivotable about a pitching axis (pitch axis), in which case, for example, the rotor may then be operated in a propeller-propulsion mode.

However, in general, regardless of the type of unmanned aerial vehicle or aircraft having at least one electric motor, range during a flight mission is critical and is always compromised by acceptable payload and/or flight performance that is detrimental to such unmanned aerial vehicles.

Specifically, the greater the size and weight of the battery used to power the motor, the more important the energy density per unit weight of the battery expressed in watt-hours per kilogram (W.h/kg) is to detract from the flight path of such a drone. Furthermore, in such a case, the weight that the unmanned aerial vehicle can transport (i.e., its payload) is reduced, and its flight performance, particularly in terms of speed and acceleration, is also reduced.

As described in documents US2017/240291, EP2902319, WO2017/004777 and US2003/207164, it has been proposed to alleviate this drawback by providing an independent energy source on this type of unmanned aircraft formed by fuel cells. In particular, the fuel cell has the advantage of a very good ratio between its weight and the flight path it can obtain for the unmanned aerial vehicle, which is particularly suitable in the case of a considerable weight of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

In a known manner, such fuel cells are operated by reducing a fuel (e.g., hydrogen (H), in particular)₂) Is oxidized at the first electrode (anode) in combination with the reduction of an oxidant (e.g., oxygen in air) at the second electrode (cathode) to generate a voltage with the reduced fuel.

However, such sources require fuel storage tanks, and also require the individual cells to be secured to the structure of a conventional unmanned aerial vehicle that was originally designed to carry more conventional rechargeable batteries, such as lithium polymer-type storage batteries (also known as "LiPo" batteries) or nickel metal hydride (NiMh) type storage batteries. Furthermore, additional fastening means are required to secure the tank and the single battery to the structure of the unmanned aerial vehicle, and the resulting unmanned aerial vehicle does not have good aerodynamic properties, particularly in terms of aerodynamic drag.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is therefore to propose a new type of unmanned aerial vehicle which allows to avoid the above-mentioned limitations. In particular, the range of this type of unmanned aircraft with an independent energy source formed by a fuel cell is increased, the acceptable payload and/or the flight performance is improved. At a minimum, this type of unmanned aerial vehicle is capable of achieving a good compromise between flight range, payload and flight performance.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an unmanned aerial vehicle comprising:

-at least one electric motor for providing at least thrust for the unmanned aerial vehicle; and

-at least one source of electrical energy for supplying said at least one electric motor with electrical energy, each source of electrical energy being formed by a fuel cell comprising mainly a tank for storing fuel and secondly at least one single cell formed by two electrodes separated by an electrolyte, the single cell of the fuel cell being adapted to electrochemically generate electric power between said two electrodes.

According to the invention, such an unmanned aerial vehicle is distinguished in that the at least one individual battery forms a first structural element of the unmanned aerial vehicle, which extends between at least two points a and B of the unmanned aerial vehicle that are remote from one another and enables forces and/or torques to be transmitted between these at least two points a and B.

In other words, at least one single battery forms a rigid and relatively non-deformable part suitable for transmitting forces and/or moments between two points a and B, for example, producing traction, compression, shearing, bending and/or torsion actions.

Such forces or moments can be generated in particular by the inertia of the unmanned aerial vehicle in flight and also by reaction from the ground on the landing gear when the unmanned aerial vehicle is parked on the ground.

Advantageously, when the unmanned aerial vehicle is of the multi-rotor type with at least three rotors for providing thrust and/or lift, each of which is driven in rotation by at least three electric motors, the first structural element may be formed, completely or in part, by a connecting arm extending between a central body of said unmanned aerial vehicle and any one of the electric motors.

Thus, the two points a and B of the unmanned aerial vehicle between which the first structural element extends may each be arranged such that one point is close to one of the three electric motors and the other point is close to a central body, which may serve as a fuel tank, for example. In such a case, the at least one single battery directly forms the respective connection arm between the three motors and the central body.

In practice, the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a streamlined region having a plurality of frames arranged substantially parallel to one another and spaced apart from one another in a length direction, which are connected to one another by at least one bar oriented substantially in the length direction, and the first structural element can be formed completely or partially by the frames and/or the at least one bar.

In other words, the unmanned aerial vehicle may include a monocoque fuselage structure in which multiple sets of frames and/or vertical bulkheads are arranged parallel to each other to impart their shape to the fuselage forming the outer skin of the unmanned aerial vehicle. In addition, such a length direction of the unmanned aerial vehicle may coincide with or be arranged parallel to a (longitudinal) roll axis or a (lateral) pitch axis of the unmanned aerial vehicle.

In such a case, points a and B of the unmanned aerial vehicle between which the first structural element extends may be provided, respectively, one at a first point of the fuselage or the pole and the other at a second point of the fuselage or the pole. In such a case, at least one single cell of the fuel cell directly forms the frame or the rod of the streamlined region.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the first structural element can be formed completely or partially by the connecting part when the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a fixed wing with two wing halves connected together by the connecting part.

Thus, the unmanned aerial vehicle may have a wing in which the connecting member extends to connect the two wing halves to each other. Thus, points a and B of the unmanned aerial vehicle between which the first structural element extends may be provided, respectively, one point at the first end of the connecting part and another point at the second end of the same connecting part. In such a case, at least one individual cell of the fuel cell directly forms the connecting component arranged in the wing.

Advantageously, the first structural element may be formed by a stack of at least two individual cells arranged parallel to each other.

In other words, such a first structural element may comprise a plurality of individual cells of the fuel cell. In addition, it is common practice to use the term "stack" to denote a plurality of parallel individual cells so connected to each other in order to increase the potential difference between the terminals of the fuel cell.

In practice, the tank may form a second structural element of the unmanned aerial vehicle, such second structural element extending between at least two further points C and D of the unmanned aerial vehicle which are distant from each other and serving to transmit further forces and/or further moments between such at least two further points C and D.

As described above for the first structural element, the tank then forms a rigid and not very easily deformable part suitable for transmitting forces and/or moments between the other two points C and D of the unmanned aerial vehicle, for example producing traction, compression, shearing, bending and/or torsion actions, and therefore can carry certain avionics and/or system equipment.

Advantageously, the tank may comprise at least two compartments separated from each other for supplying respectively at least two individual cells separated from each other of the fuel cell.

In other words, each individual cell may be independently supplied with fuel through a respective one of the compartments of the canister.

In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the unmanned aerial vehicle may comprise interconnection means connected by a conduit to at least two compartments of the tank, respectively, the interconnection means enabling a first compartment of the tank to communicate with a second compartment of the tank and vice versa.

Such an arrangement may then, if necessary, bring the compartments of the tanks into communication with each other under flight control or automatically, by means of interconnection means comprising valves and detection means suitable for detecting a low level and/or a lower pressure than a lower threshold pressure of the fuel, which may in particular be in the liquid and/or gaseous state in any one of the tanks. This need may arise in particular in the case where one compartment of the tank is empty before the other compartment, which is then used for temporarily supplying the two electric motors with electric energy. In practice, this may occur during nominal operation (nominal operation) of the unmanned aerial vehicle (e.g., in the event of a fault such as a leak from one compartment), or even as a problem filling one of the compartments.

In practice, the unmanned aerial vehicle may comprise at least one gas compressor for compressing the external air and at least one control unit connected to the at least one gas compressor by at least one duct for regulating at least one flow rate of air injected into at least one single cell of the fuel cell by at least measuring the temperature and pressure of the air compressed by the at least one gas compressor.

Thus, the at least one gas compressor and the at least one control component are used to increase the efficiency of the fuel cell by determining the amount of molecular oxygen that is sent to the interior of the at least one individual cell. This serves to ensure that the redox reactions in the fuel cell occur in stoichiometric proportions.

Advantageously, the at least one gas compressor may be driven in rotation by at least one electric motor for providing at least thrust to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

In such a case, the or each motor may have a rotary shaft with two ends leading from the motor. In addition, the first end of the shaft drives the rotor or propeller in rotation, while the second end drives the gas compressor in rotation.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises at least one water recovery component for recovering water produced by the fuel cell, which at least one water recovery component is connected to at least one individual cell of the fuel cell by means of at least one conduit.

In particular, such redox reactions produce water molecules, typically in the form of water vapor. The at least one water recovery component may then collect water and use the collected water to increase the efficiency of the redox reaction of the fuel cell.

In practice, the at least one water recovery means can be connected by at least one conduit to at least one control means for regulating the flow rate of water injected into at least one single cell of the fuel cell and enabling the electrolyte to be wetted.

In such a case, the water produced by the fuel cell is then injected into the at least one single cell, either entirely or partially, together with the outside air. Then, the at least one control component may precisely control the amount of water used to wet the electrolyte.

Advantageously, the at least one water recovery means can be connected, by at least one pipe, to at least one monitoring device for monitoring the heat generated by at least one single cell of the fuel cell, said at least one monitoring device being intended to regulate the flow rate of the water sprayed on the at least one single cell and causing the outer surface of said at least one single cell to be wetted.

Thus, the water produced by the fuel cell is then sprayed onto the at least one individual cell, and the at least one monitoring device for monitoring the heat produced by the at least one individual cell can accurately determine the amount of water sprayed. The vortex (wash) from the rotor or propeller then acts by forced convection phenomena to evacuate the heat generated by the at least one single battery.

Furthermore, in another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises at least one management device for managing the flow rate of the fuel sent to said at least one single cell, said at least one management device being intended to vary the current output by said fuel cell to control the rotation speed of at least one electric motor as a function of said fuel flow rate, said at least one management device being arranged downstream of the tank and upstream of said at least one single cell of said fuel cell.

Such an arrangement may then control the rotational speed of the at least one electric motor directly in dependence on the speed of the at least one individual cell delivering fuel to the fuel cell.

Drawings

The invention and its advantages will be more apparent from the following detailed description of examples given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is a partial sectional view of a first variant of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to the invention;

fig. 2 is a partial plan view of this first variant of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the invention;

fig. 3 is a partial perspective view of this first variant of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of another UAV in accordance with a first variation of the UAV of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of another UAV in accordance with a first variation of the UAV of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of an unmanned aerial vehicle according to a first variation of the unmanned aerial vehicle of the present invention;

fig. 7 is a perspective view of a second modification of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the invention;

fig. 8 is a perspective view of a third modification of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the invention;

fig. 9 is a perspective view of the unmanned aerial vehicle according to the third modification of the unmanned aerial vehicle of the present invention; and

fig. 10 is a front view of another unmanned aerial vehicle according to this third modification of the unmanned aerial vehicle of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Thus, as mentioned above, the present invention relates to an unmanned aircraft or an aircraft without any pilot thereon. Elements present in more than one different figure showing multiple UAV variations may be given the same reference number in each of them.

Thus, as shown in fig. 1, the unmanned aerial vehicle 10 has an electric motor 1 for driving the rotation of at least one thrust and/or lift rotor 8. Such an electric motor 1 is electrically connected to an electric energy source 2 formed by a fuel cell.

Such a fuel cell comprises in particular a fuel tank 3 and at least one single cell 4, the single cell 4 being formed by a first electrode 5 forming an anode, a second electrode 6 forming a cathode and an electrolyte 26 arranged between the first electrode 5 and the second electrode 6.

As shown, at least one single battery forms a first structural element 14 extending between two distant points a and B of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10. Moreover, such a structural element 14 serves itself for transmitting forces and/or torques between two points a and B spaced apart from one another.

In a first variant of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10, the structural element 14 is formed by a connecting arm 15 which is used solely for transmitting forces and/or moments between the points a and B of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10. Such point a is therefore provided at a first end of the connecting arm 15 close to the central body 16 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10, while point B is provided at a second end of the connecting arm 15 close to the electric motor 1 driving the rotation of the rotor 8.

As shown in fig. 2, such a connecting arm 15 may have an opening 49, which opening 49 allows the outside air moving the rotor 8 to cool the connecting arm 15 by passing between the top surface 62 and the bottom surface 63.

As shown in fig. 3, the tank 3 of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10 can likewise form a second structural element 7 for transmitting forces and/or moments between two mutually spaced-apart points C and D. Furthermore, such a tank 3 may comprise a monolithic structure to which the above-mentioned respective connecting arms 15 are fixed.

As shown, the unmanned aerial vehicle 10 is a multi-rotor type unmanned aerial vehicle, with each

rotor

8, 18, 28 forming a rotor for providing thrust and/or lift to the unmanned aerial vehicle 10.

As shown in fig. 4, such a multi-rotor type unmanned aerial vehicle 10 may have electric motors 11, each of which electric motors 11 is used firstly for driving the rotor 8 to rotate and secondly for driving the gas compressor 51 to rotate to compress the outside air. In addition, such a gas compressor 51 is connected to at least one individual cell 4 of the fuel cell by means of at least one pipe in order to optimize the efficiency of the redox reactions taking place in the fuel cell.

As shown in fig. 5, in a first variant of the unmanned aerial vehicle 10, the tank 13 may have a first compartment 9 and a second compartment 19, the first compartment 9 and the second compartment 19 being sealed with respect to each other and/or separated by a separating partition. In such a case, the unmanned aerial vehicle 10 may also comprise interconnection means 50 for performing a balancing, which balancing is controlled manually when required or automatically as soon as there is a pressure difference between the tanks or the amount of fuel in the first compartment 9 differs from the amount of fuel in the second compartment 19.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, such a tank 13 may also form a second structural element 17, which second structural element 17 extends between the points C and D and enables forces and/or moments to be transmitted between the two points C and D, for example, resulting in a traction, compression, shearing, bending and/or twisting action. In addition, the tank 13 may carry avionics equipment and/or systems, or even it may serve as a support for objects to be transported by the unmanned aerial vehicle 10.

With the operating principle shown in fig. 6, the unmanned aerial vehicle 10 may comprise a management device 56 for controlling the speed of fuel injection into the at least one single battery 4. The terminals of the

electrodes

5 and 6 output the generated electric power, which can be converted by the converter 60 and then transmitted to the speed controller 61 to power the motor 11. In this way, management device 56 is used to control the speed of rotation of rotor 8 based on the speed at which fuel is injected into individual cells 4.

In addition, such an unmanned aerial vehicle 10 may further include a water recovery section 53 for recovering water produced by the oxidation-reduction reaction of the fuel cell.

Advantageously, this recovered water can be firstly brought to the control means 52 to be injected into the single cells 4 by the gas compressor 51 together with the compressed air and can secondly be conveyed to the monitoring device 54 for monitoring the heat generated by the single cells 4 during the use of the fuel cell.

Thus, the control component 52 is used to wet the electrolyte 26 of an individual cell 4 with water, while the monitoring device is used to adjust the rate at which water is sprayed onto the outer surface 55 of such an individual cell 4. Water droplets are then generated and sprayed using the downstream air flow generated by the rotor 8. The use of water produced by redox reactions in this way is particularly advantageous for increasing the efficiency of the electricity produced and thus the range obtained with such sources of electrical energy.

As shown in fig. 7, the second variant of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20 may also have a streamlined region 21 in which a plurality of frames 22 are covered by a shell forming a fuselage. In addition, the frames 22 are disposed generally parallel to each other along the length direction L, for example, the length direction L may be parallel to a roll axis (roll axis) of the unmanned aerial vehicle 20.

The individual frames 22 are also interconnected by means of bars (stringers) 25, which bars 25 serve to hold them in position relative to each other.

In addition, such a frame 22 and/or such a bar 25 are adapted to form a structural element 24 between the two points a and B, and they may also be combined, for example, with the other structural elements 14 defined above with reference to the first drone variant 10. Such structural elements 14 are commonly referred to as "stacks".

In a third modification 30 of the unmanned aerial vehicle, as shown in fig. 8 and 9, such an unmanned aerial vehicle 30 may have a fixed wing 31. In this case, the motor 1 is used to drive the propeller 8 to rotate to propel the unmanned aerial vehicle 30.

Such a fixed wing 31 may comprise two half-

wings

35 and 36 rigidly connected together by means of a connecting member 32 forming all or part of the structural element 34. In particular, as mentioned above, such structural elements 34 may equally well replace or be integrated in the frame 22 'or ribs interconnected by bars (spars) extending substantially parallel to the length direction L'.

As shown in fig. 9, the unmanned aerial vehicle 30 may also have tanks 23, each tank 23 being disposed between the frames 22'. In addition, such a tank 23 can form a second structural element 27, which second structural element 27 extends between two points C and D that are remote from one another and likewise serves solely for transmitting forces and/or torques between these two points C and D.

In such a case, such an energy source 2 comprises a single battery 4 forming both a first structural element 34 and a second structural element 27, for example, the first structural element 34 being constituted by a frame 22 'or a rib, a bar 25' and/or a connecting member 32, the second structural element 27 being constituted by a can 23 directly fixed to the respective frame 22 'and/or bar 25'.

In a fourth variant of the unmanned aerial vehicle shown in fig. 10, such an unmanned aerial vehicle 40 may have a connecting member 42 that connects together two

wing halves

45 and 46. Such a connecting member 42 is also constituted by a plurality of segments respectively arranged between different frames 22' parallel to each other.

In addition, such a connecting member 42 is used together with the frame 22' to form a first structural element 44 extending between points a and B. In addition, such a connecting element 42 may consist wholly or partly of a fuel tank, for example made of a polymer such as polyethylene

Polyoxadiazole (POD) polymer material. In addition, each connecting member 42 may form a unitary assembly extending between two frames 22'. In this fourth modification 40 of the unmanned aerial vehicle, it is also possible to provide an additional fuel tank 33 below the first structural element 44 without constituting a second structural element of the unmanned aerial vehicle 40.

Of course, the invention is susceptible to many variations in its implementation. While multiple embodiments are described, it will be readily appreciated that an exhaustive identification of all possible embodiments is not possible. Of course, it is contemplated that any means described may be substituted by equivalent means without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An unmanned aerial vehicle (10, 20, 30, 40), comprising:

-at least one electric motor (1, 11) for providing at least thrust for the unmanned aerial vehicle (10, 20, 30, 40); and

-at least one source (2) of electric energy for supplying said at least one electric motor (1, 11) with electric energy, each source (2) of electric energy being formed by a fuel cell comprising, in the main, a tank (3, 13, 23, 33) for storing fuel, and, in the secondary, at least one single cell (4, 4 '), said single cell (4, 4 ') being formed by two electrodes (5 and 6) separated by an electrolyte (26), said at least one single cell (4, 4 ') of the fuel cell being suitable for electrochemically generating electric power between said two electrodes (5 and 6);

the at least one single cell (4, 4') forming a first structural element (14, 24, 34, 44) of the unmanned aerial vehicle (10, 20, 30, 40), the first structural element (14, 24, 34, 44) extending between at least two mutually distant points A and B of the unmanned aerial vehicle (10, 20, 30, 40) and enabling forces and/or moments to be transmitted between the two points A and B, the tank (3, 13, 23) forming a second structural element (7, 17, 27) of the unmanned aerial vehicle (10, 20, 30), the second structural element (7, 17, 27) extending between at least two further mutually distant points C and D of the unmanned aerial vehicle (10, 20, 30) and being intended for transmitting further forces and/or further moments between the two further points C and D, the tank (13) comprising at least two mutually separate single cells (4 and 4) for supplying the fuel cells, respectively, the tank (13) ') at least two compartments (9 and 19) separated from each other, said unmanned aerial vehicle (10) comprising an interconnection means (50) connected by a conduit to the two compartments (9 and 19) of the tank (13), said interconnection means (50) enabling the first compartment (9) of the tank (13) to communicate with the second compartment (19) of the tank (13) and vice versa.

2. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said unmanned aerial vehicle (10, 20) is of the multi-rotor type having at least three rotors (8, 18 and 28) for providing thrust and/or lift, driven in rotation by at least three electric motors (1, 11), respectively, and said first structural element (14) is formed, completely or partially, by a connecting arm (15) extending between a central body (16) of said unmanned aerial vehicle (10, 20) and either one of said electric motors (1, 11).

3. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle (20, 30) comprises a streamlined region (21, 21 '), the streamlined region (21, 21 ') having a plurality of frames (22, 22') arranged substantially parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other in a length direction (L, L '), the frames (22, 22') being connected to each other by at least one rod (25, 25 ') oriented substantially along the length direction (L, L '), and the first structural element (24) being formed completely or partially by a frame (22, 22') and/or the at least one rod (25, 25 ').

4. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle (30, 40) comprises a fixed wing (31, 41), the fixed wing (31, 41) comprises two half wings (35, 45 and 36, 46) connected together by a connecting part (32, 42), and the first structural element (34, 44) is formed completely or partially by the connecting part (32, 42).

5. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first structural element (14, 24, 34, 44) is formed by a stack of at least two individual cells (4) arranged parallel to each other.

6. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle (10) comprises at least one gas compressor (51) for compressing outside air and at least one control component (52) connected to the at least one gas compressor (51) by at least one pipe, the at least one control component (52) being configured to regulate at least one flow rate of air injected into at least one individual cell (4) of the fuel cell by at least measuring the temperature and pressure of the air compressed by the at least one gas compressor (51).

7. The UAV according to claim 6, wherein the at least one gas compressor (51) is driven in rotation by at least one electric motor (11) for providing at least thrust to the UAV (10).

8. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 1, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle (10) comprises at least one water recovery component (53) for recovering water produced by a fuel cell, the at least one water recovery component (53) being connected with at least one individual cell (4) of the fuel cell by at least one pipe.

9. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 6, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle (10) comprises at least one water recovery component (53) for recovering water produced by a fuel cell, the at least one water recovery component (53) being connected with at least one individual cell (4) of the fuel cell by at least one conduit, and wherein the at least one water recovery component (53) is connected with the at least one control component (52) by at least one conduit, the at least one control component (52) being adapted to regulate the flow rate of water injected into the at least one individual cell (4) of the fuel cell and enabling the electrolyte (26) to be wetted.

10. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 8, wherein said at least one water recovery member (53) is associated, through at least one conduit, with at least one monitoring device (54) for monitoring the heat generated by at least one single cell (4) of said fuel cell, said at least one monitoring device (54) being adapted to regulate the flow rate of water sprayed on said at least one single cell (4) and causing the outer surface (55) of said at least one single cell (4) to be wetted.

11. The unmanned aerial vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said unmanned aerial vehicle (10) comprises at least one management device (56) for managing a flow rate of fuel sent to said at least one single battery (4), said at least one management device (56) being configured to vary the current output by said fuel cell to control the rotation speed of said at least one electric motor (1, 11) as a function of said fuel flow rate, said at least one management device (56) being arranged downstream of said tank (3) and upstream of said at least one single battery (4) of said fuel cell.