What is HyLight?
HyLight is revolutionizing infrastructure inspection by combining autonomous hydrogen-powered airships with cutting-edge AI and advanced sensors. These aren’t your typical drones or helicopters; they’re long-endurance, zero-emission airships that deliver millimeter-level precision data over vast distances. Imagine a fleet of silent, energy-efficient dirigibles patrolling pipelines, powerlines, railways, and industrial zones — spotting risks before they turn into disasters. HyLight’s technology is designed to be cost-effective at scale, fully autonomous, and capable of flying for up to 10 hours at a steady 35 km/h, covering ranges up to 350 km. It’s a game-changer for infrastructure operators who need massive, precise inspections without the usual environmental footprint.
Main Benefits of HyLight’s Technology
Here’s what sets HyLight apart:
- Long-endurance flights lasting up to 10 hours without refueling
- Millimeter-level resolution for pinpoint detection of defects and leaks
- Zero-emission operations thanks to hydrogen power
- Cost-effective solutions that scale to industrial inspection needs
- Fully autonomous missions, reducing human risk and operational complexity
- Ability to cover up to 350 km per flight, enabling large-scale data collection
- Development of five different flying airship models tailored for various inspection tasks
- Signed five pilot programs with major energy infrastructure operators
- Letters of intent worth over $3.5 million, signaling strong market interest
The Problem with Current Infrastructure Inspection
Infrastructure inspection today is… well, broken. Critical assets like railways, powerlines, and pipelines still rely heavily on helicopters or short-range drones. These methods are slow, expensive, and frankly, pretty polluting. Plus, they just can’t keep up with the growing demand for detailed, frequent data. Operators struggle to conduct inspections that are both massive in scale and precise enough to catch early signs of failure. This gap leaves societies vulnerable to unexpected breakdowns and environmental hazards.
How HyLight Innovates with Airships
HyLight’s innovation lies in the fusion of drone-like control with dirigible-like endurance. The HyLighter, their flagship airship, is easily transportable and controllable like a drone but benefits from the energy efficiency of a dirigible. This means it can cruise slowly for hours, collecting optimal data without the constant need for refueling or landing. The hydrogen power system ensures zero emissions, making it an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional inspection methods. Plus, the airships operate fully autonomously, which means fewer human operators are needed on site, reducing risk and operational costs.
Transforming Data into Actionable Intelligence
Collecting data is one thing — making sense of it is another. HyLight’s dashboard takes raw aerial data and turns it into actionable intelligence. This means infrastructure operators get clear, precise insights that help them prioritize maintenance, prevent failures, and ultimately protect societies. The platform supports continuous, zero-emission data capture, building the largest local-scale aerial data network. This live, high-resolution map covers everything from roads and railways to powerlines and industrial zones, driving smarter, safer infrastructure management worldwide.
HyLight’s Impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy — by enabling safer, more efficient energy infrastructure inspection
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure — through advanced, scalable inspection technologies
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities — by protecting critical urban infrastructure
- SDG 13: Climate Action — with zero-emission, hydrogen-powered airships reducing environmental impact
- SDG 15: Life on Land — by preventing infrastructure failures that could harm ecosystems
Looking Ahead: The Future of Infrastructure Monitoring
HyLight is building more than just airships; it’s creating a new paradigm for how infrastructure is monitored and maintained. With five different airship models already developed and multiple pilot programs underway, the future looks promising. As the demand for reliable, large-scale inspection grows, HyLight’s autonomous, hydrogen-powered dirigibles are poised to become the backbone of safer, cleaner infrastructure management worldwide. It’s a bold step toward a smarter planet — one flight at a time.
