Intelligent Energy – IE one of the world’s top hydrogen fuel cell manufacturers, is broadening its footprint in China with its official launch at the 2026 International Low Altitude Economy Expo in Shanghai.
The exhibition signifies the first chance to display its IE-SOAR™ hydrogen fuel cell systems for UAV manufacturers as well as operators from China as the country quickly develops its low-altitude economy via investment in commercial drone uses. It has nearly ten years of experience in commercial installation, with several hundred fuel cell systems deployed in Europe, North America as well as Asia.
The fuel cells of IE-SOAR™ hydrogen fuel cell systems for UAV manufacturers can support three to five times longer flights than battery-powered aircraft, with just water vapor emitted. The IE-SOAR range provides fully integrated power systems that are direct replacements for battery packs and also offers quick refueling to assist operators in keeping aircraft in the air for longer periods while minimizing downtime.
At stand C245, Intelligent Energy will be showcasing its complete IE-SOAR product portfolio, consisting of 800W and 1.2kW as well as 2.4kW fuel cell systems for fixed-wing, rotary-wing, as well as vertical take-off and landing – VTOL unmanned aircraft. Guests will also be able to witness a fixed-wing UAV with an integrated IE-SOAR system, as well as demonstrations of commercial platforms already functioning with the technology all over the globe.
It is well to be noted that China has made the low-altitude economy a strategic national objective, spurring investments in commercial drone applications in areas such as logistics, infrastructure inspection, emergency response, and surveying as well as urban air mobility. Many of these tasks call for long-duration flights or operations far beyond visual line of sight – BVLOS, where battery constraints can become a limitation.
Intelligent Energy has been in the UAV market since 2016 and has installed several hundred hydrogen fuel cell systems to support commercial operations involving offshore wind testing, pipeline inspection, surveying, transportation, monitoring, and BVLOS missions.
Intelligent Energy’s operations director, Martin Schaefer, remarks that “China’s low-altitude economy is developing rapidly, and we see enormous potential for hydrogen fuel cells as those aircraft take on longer and more demanding missions. We’ve spent almost a decade supplying UAV fuel cell systems for commercial applications around the world, and this exhibition is an opportunity to show Chinese manufacturers what our technology can already deliver. Just as importantly, it’s a chance to understand the challenges they’re solving and work with them to integrate our products into the next generation of UAV platforms.”
Notably, the International Low Altitude Economy Expo 2026 will be held in Shanghai between 22 and 25 July, 2026, and Intelligent Energy is going to be on stand C245.