Car-sized hydrogen spy airship to debut in NATO’s largest drone drill

Finnish company Kelluu has developed a car-sized, hydrogen-powered autonomous airship designed for long-duration surveillance missions. Measuring about 12 meters (40 feet) long, the airship uses hydrogen for both lift and fuel, enabling it to stay aloft for over 12 hours—significantly longer than conventional drones or helicopters. Its emissions are reduced by 99.5% compared to standard aerial platforms, making it an environmentally friendly option. The airship features a patented hydrogen-safe structure, operates quietly, and is capable of functioning in harsh conditions, including Arctic environments. It can carry payloads up to 6 kilograms, supporting multi-sensor configurations such as LiDAR, spectral cameras, and thermal imagers, enabling applications like forestry health monitoring, infrastructure inspections, agricultural mapping, and security patrols. Initially aimed at civilian markets, Kelluu’s airship has attracted defense interest and will participate in NATO’s REPMUS 25 exercise in Portugal, demonstrating its potential for intelligence, surveillance