Poland and France showed the Hermione robot, which runs on hydrogen for 20 hours and loads two tons

Not gasoline or a battery, but hydrogen in battle

At the international defense industry exhibition MSPO in Kielce (September 2-5, 2025), the Polish company PHU Lechmar and the French H2X-Defense for the first time showed a joint development of the Hermione unmanned ground robot. Its main feature is a hydrogen—powered propulsion system. This means: no exhaust, almost no noise, and at the same time — high autonomy. In an era when even the army is thinking about ecology, this approach is becoming a competitive advantage.

"Hermione" is not just a prototype. It is a technology demonstrator that can change logistics on the battlefield.

Charging in three minutes instead of dozens of hours

One of the main disadvantages of electric drones and robots is a long charge. Sometimes they stand idle for a day. Hermione has a different principle: it uses hydrogen fuel cells. This allows it to operate for up to 20 hours at a single gas station, and the fuel replenishment process itself takes only three minutes.

This is a huge plus for the logistics services. The robot completed its mission — it stopped by, refueled, and went back into battle. No downtime, as with batteries.

What does it carry and what is the purpose of such a robot?

The Hermione is capable of carrying up to two tons of payload. These can be ammunition, medicines, equipment, or even wounded. It can be used:

• To deliver shells to firing positions,
• To evacuate victims from the firing zone,
• As a mobile communication or power supply point,
• In peacetime — for mine clearance or reconnaissance.

Thanks to its modular design, the platform is easy to adapt to a specific task.

Ecology and reliability — a new formula for military equipment

The creators emphasize that Hermione is not only effective, but also environmentally friendly. A hydrogen engine emits only water vapor. This is important not only for the image, but also for reducing the heat footprint — there is less chance of being seen from the air.

In addition, such a system is less dependent on fuel supply chains. Hydrogen can be produced on site, which increases the autonomy of the units.

Now the question is not whether there will be hydrogen in the army. The question is who will do it first.

Sources

1. Rossiyskaya Gazeta — “Hermione” UGV unveiled at MSPO: hydrogen power & mil-specs
2. ESGport — Hydrogen tech milestones for mobile (military) systems