The US Army has awarded Heven AeroTech a basic ordering agreement (BOA) covering its Z1 hydrogen-powered unmanned aerial system, along with related hydrogen generation and refueling solutions.
Effective January 2026, the BOA establishes a framework that enables future orders for the procurement of these systems as operational requirements evolve.
The move comes months after the Z1 was added to the Blue UAS Select list by the US Defense Innovation Unit, underscoring its mission readiness and deployability.
“This BOA creates a standing procurement pathway, meaning the army can move much faster when a capability proves valuable in operational contexts,” Heven AeroTech President of US Operations, Michael Buscher, told The Defense Post.
“For emerging technologies like hydrogen-powered systems, that kind of access is essential for bridging the gap between demonstration and deployment.
It also reflects a broader shift in how the army is thinking about new endurance and energy solutions, recognizing that energy infrastructure and aviation platforms increasingly need to be designed together.”
Hydrogen-Powered
The Z1 is a vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aerial system designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.
Weighing 55 pounds (25 kilograms), it can be deployed in under five minutes without tools, enabling rapid operations in remote or confined areas.
The drone carries up to 10 pounds (5 kilograms) of payload and features low acoustic and thermal signatures, with modular bays for quick payload swaps.
Unlike conventional lithium-ion battery-powered drones, the Z1 uses a fuel cell to convert hydrogen into electricity, delivering more than four times the energy of a comparable battery system. This enables endurance of over 10 hours and a range of up to 460 miles (740 kilometers), significantly exceeding typical battery-powered platforms.
