South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has signed a KRW831 million (USD730.000) contract with local company Doosan Mobility Innovation to acquire an undisclosed number of small hydrogen-powered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to enhance the military's surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. The agency said in a 17 May statement that the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) will start receiving the UAVs in November as part of a pilot project that will see the military using advanced hydrogen fuel cell 'power-pack technology' for the first time. The pilot programme for the UAVs, which are being acquired via a fast-track procurement route, is set to be completed within a year. According to DAPA, hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered UAVs are small and have greater endurance than existing battery-powered ones.
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