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Defence & Government UAS

REACH
THE UNREACHABLE

Hinterland builds hydrogen fuel cell UAS platforms delivering 2.5 hours of persistent, silent operation with near-zero acoustic and thermal signature. Where battery UAVs fail after 30 minutes and combustion systems trade stealth for range — hydrogen gives you both.

Explore Applications Technical Platform →
150 km
Operational Range
2.5 h
Mission Endurance
5 kg
Payload
The Technology

WHY
HYDROGEN

Battery systems return to base after 30 minutes. Combustion platforms sacrifice stealth for range. Hydrogen breaks that trade-off — delivering 2.5 hours of persistent, silent, low-signature operation without compromise.

01
2.5 Hours On Station

Battery systems return to base after 30 minutes. Hinterland platforms maintain persistent coverage for 2.5 hours — enough for a complete deep-strike or ISR mission without a single rotation.

02
Near-Zero Acoustic Signature

Unlike combustion systems, no moving parts, no engine noise — only rotor sound remains. Near-undetectable in operational environments.

03
Minimal Thermal Footprint

No combustion temperature. No exhaust plume. Dramatically reduced IR signature versus any combustion UAV — far harder to detect, track, and engage with IR-guided systems at operational altitude.

04
5 Minutes to Airborne

Foldable arms, quick-connect hydrogen, automatic system check. Field-ready in under 5 minutes — single operator, no specialist ground crew.

The Platform

TECHNICAL
FOUNDATION

A modular, hydrogen-powered octocopter purpose-built for defence and government operations. Customizable tank sizes and payload configurations for mission-specific requirements.

2.5 h
Mission Endurance
5 kg
Payload Capacity
150 km
Operational Range
<5 min
Deployment Time
Propulsion Hydrogen Fuel Cell + Battery
Acoustic Signature Near-zero
Thermal Signature Minimal
Origin Hamburg, Germany
Hinterland UAS Platform — arms open
Hinterland UAS Platform — arms folded
Schedule a Demo
Competitive Position

THERE IS NO
COMPARABLE
PLATFORM.

Battery
Multicopter		 Combustion
Multicopter		 Hydrogen
Multicopter
Flight Endurance 30 min 45–90 min 2.5 h (up to 7 h LH₂)
Acoustic Signature Low HIGH Low
Thermal Signature Low HIGH Low
Operational Range ~15 km ~80 km 150 km
Supply Chain Independent ✓ ✗ ✓
Enables New Mil. Capabilities ✗ ✗ ✓

Our 7 years of hydrogen drone research is what separates us from the field. Hydrogen is hard — we solved it.

Field Logistics

A COMPLETE H₂ ECOSYSTEM:
THREE GROUND PRODUCTS,
INDEPENDENT SUPPLY CHAIN.

Refuel · In the Field

Hydrogen Compressor

One-button H₂ refueling station with a fast tank swap in minutes — no specialist crew required.

Key Specs
  • Sub-5-min tank swap
  • Field-portable unit
  • Single operator
Fuel Gaseous Hydrogen UAVs
5× More Range
Produce · On Site

Field Electrolyser

Generates H₂ on site from just water and power — zero supply-chain dependency, even forward-deployed.

Key Specs
  • Water + power in
  • Off-grid capable
  • No H₂ logistics
Produce H₂ in the Field
Independent
Extend · Endurance

Mobile LH₂ Liquifier

Liquefies hydrogen for the extended-endurance config, unlocking the 7-hour LH₂ mission profile.

Key Specs
  • Liquid H₂ output
  • 7 h multicopter / 5 days fixed-wing
  • Mobile field unit
Fuel Liquid Hydrogen UAVs
20× More Range
Mission Profiles

DEEP
OPERATIONS

Every mission the Hinterland platform is built for follows one principle: your operators never have to enter the threat zone. Persistent endurance, near-zero signature, and 150 km of operational reach put the platform deep in contested territory — while your people remain safe, far behind the line.

Persistent Surveillance

2.5 hours of continuous ISR deep over contested terrain. A single platform maintains real-time situational awareness across an entire operational area — with no acoustic or thermal signature to betray its position.

Communications Repeater

Extended hydrogen endurance transforms the platform into a persistent airborne relay node — maintaining encrypted communications links between forward units and command far beyond line-of-sight, for the full duration of a mission.

Deep Strike

150 km operational range puts targets well beyond the safe distance of any operator. Silent approach, low thermal signature, and a 5 kg payload capacity enable precision engagement deep in denied environments — with zero personnel exposure.

What We Offer

DEPLOY WITH
HINTERLAND

01
Fly Our Platform

GH₂ Multicopter

Direct procurement of the Hinterland GH₂ Multicopter for military and government customers. Purpose-built for defence operations — configurable payload and tank size for mission-specific requirements.

  • Direct to military & government
  • Modular payload configuration
  • Field-proven hydrogen propulsion
02
Retrofit Kit

H₂ Propulsion Module

Drop-in hydrogen propulsion module for existing UAV platforms. Extend the endurance of your current fleet without full platform replacement — validated across multiple airframe types.
 

  • Compatible with existing airframes
  • Shorter procurement cycle
  • Multiplies fleet endurance
03
Infrastructure

H₂ Ground Ecosystem

Complete field hydrogen infrastructure: compressor refueling station, field electrolyser, and mobile LH₂ liquifier. Full operational independence — no supply chain, no specialists, no base dependency.

  • On-site H₂ production from water
  • Sub-5-minute tank swap
  • Forward-deployable, off-grid capable
Origin

BORN FROM
AEROSPACE

Hinterland is a spin-off from ZAL — Center for Applied Aeronautical Research — one of Europe's leading applied aerospace research centers, based in Hamburg.

ZAL brings 15 years of hydrogen research and 7 years of dedicated hydrogen drone development. That knowledge base is what Hinterland is built on — and ZAL remains our R&D backbone as we move from lab to field.

We work directly with defence and government partners to develop platform configurations for specific operational requirements — from standard procurement to joint development programs.

Hamburg, Germany — ZAL Spin-off
ZAL
R&D Backbone
15+
Years H₂ Research
7
Years H₂ Drones
Hamburg
Germany
Defence & Government Partnerships

GET IN
TOUCH WITH US

We are actively engaging with defence and dual-use partners. Whether you are evaluating platform capabilities, exploring a joint development program, or have a specific operational requirement — we want to hear from you.

Location
Hamburg, Germany
Heritage
ZAL Spin-off — 15 yrs H₂ research
Legal

LEGAL
NOTICE

Pursuant to § 5 TMG (German Telemedia Act)

Hinterland GmbH
Hein-Sass-Weg 22
21129 Hamburg

Legal Representatives

Roland Gerhards
CEO & Co-Founder

Fynn Schröder
CTO & Co-Founder

Contact

T  +49 40 248 595 101
F  +49 40 248 595 111
E  info@hinterland.aero