Stesi is one of the partners involved in Sandbox, the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) project dedicated to the urgent transport of medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, and biological materials using drones powered by green hydrogen.
As the provider of the supervision system, Stesi supports ground logistics and the predictive analysis of drone spare parts. The initiative, launched through an understanding signed by the Veneto Region, ENAC and SAVE, represents a model of efficiency and sustainability: on-site production of hydrogen from dedicated photovoltaic systems, storage and distribution through a fully self-sufficient process, with the goal of connecting key points of the regional healthcare network. The project also involves H2C, a company with over seventy years of experience in the energy sector and a strategic partner of Stesi.
The “Gino Allegri” civil airport in Padua has been selected as the testing area thanks to its proximity to major healthcare facilities, which will soon benefit from rapid, efficient and sustainable aerial connections.
The drones used are light multicopters weighing under 25 kg:
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approximately 3 minutes required for refuelling
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100 km of autonomy
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payload capacity up to 5 kg
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around 340 g of green hydrogen consumed at full load
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maximum speed of 55 km/h.
The validation process includes:
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ground testing of the KEB (Key Energy Builder) developed by H2C for the production, storage and distribution of green hydrogen powered by renewable energy;
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integration on the ground between the KEB, the hydrogen-powered drone and ground-handling vehicles;
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test flights within the airport area, followed by BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) trials between two regional hospitals, where the pilot maintains control without direct visual contact.
In the early months of 2026, the Padua airport will produce, store and supply the hydrogen volumes needed to power H2C’s GH2 drones, forklifts and cargo-handling tractors.
The project is the result of a collaborative effort that brings together industrial and institutional excellence: in addition to Stesi, partners include DBA Group, Telespazio, Milani, Toyota Material Handling Italia and Skycutter. Toyota ground-handling vehicles will be used for airport logistics.
For Stesi, the project aligns perfectly with its mission: for nearly thirty years, the company has supported logistics and manufacturing efficiency through innovative products and services. Stesi has also joined PharmacomItalia, the first Italian technical community dedicated to the end-to-end management of pharmaceutical products and the training of professionals in pharmaceutical logistics. The technologies developed will also find applications in industrial settings, supporting internal and inter-facility material handling. As Stesi’s President, Stefano Cudicio, emphasizes:
“Aerial transport of goods via green-hydrogen drones is destined to become increasingly widespread in the coming years, as it makes it possible to overcome the limitations inherent in road and rail transport.”
This initiative marks a concrete step toward integrating green hydrogen into freight transport, with positive impacts on innovation, efficiency and sustainability.
Stesi is proud to contribute to a project that elevates logistics to a driver of collective well-being.
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