Scientists at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Stuttgart are building a small, fuel cell-powered plane that is shaped like a fish. The unmanned aircraft will be able to fly at speeds of 200 to 300 kilometers per hour at altitudes as high as 7,000 meters. A battery-powered prototype of the aircraft has already been aloft for initial test flights. SmartFish differs from conventional aircraft by its innovative aerodynamic design, while relying on standard technologies for building materials and propulsion.

The designers call their plane "HyFish", which aptly describes the main characteristics of the innovative flying machine: The energy source is hydrogen, and the plane’s design was inspired by the form of a fish. HyFish was developed by designers and engineers at the Smartfish company. SmartFish is working to realize the vision of building a fish-shaped passenger aircraft that can fly at 900 kilometers per hour while consuming almost the same amount of fuel needed by an automobile.

Scientists at the DLR Institute of Technical Thermodynamics, on the other hand, are pursuing a different goal in cooperation with SmartFish — the development of a remote-controlled, unmanned plane with a wing span of approximately 1.5 meters and weighing no more than five kilograms. What’s more, they intend to use a one-kW fuel cell system for the aircraft’s entire power supply. The HyFish’s forward thrust is provided by an integrated propeller — or "impeller” drive system.

The hydrogen fuel is stored in a pressurized tank on board the aircraft. The HyFish is also equipped with a tank containing pure oxygen, though, which is why it doesn’t require a compressor to supply the fuel cell with sufficient air at high altitudes. The engineers’ calculations indicate the HyFish will be able to fly for about one hour on a full tank.

They’ve also given some thought to potential applications for the plane. For example, the HyFish could be used to monitor weather patterns from high altitudes or take air samples that could later be examined for the presence of trace gases.