The UK's UAV Engines (UEL), a leader in gasoline-powered Wankel powerplants for drones and aerial targets, is offering heavy-fuel-burning models for unmanned air vehicles (UAVs).
Stoking the race to develop heavy fuel engines for remotely piloted vehicles is the US Navy's Vertical Take-off and Landing Tactical UAV programme and the US Army's Close Range Tactical UAV development. UEL has worked over the past decade to adapt its line of 30-100hp (20-75kW) gasoline-fuelled rotary engines to burn various jet fuels.
The company has converted the single-rotor AR-801R, which powers the Alliant Techsystems Outrider, to burn Jet-A fuel.
Plans call for adaption of the EFI system to the smaller, air-cooled AR-741 engine allowing it to achieve 32-35hp (23-26kW) making both candidates for TUAV applications.
Source: Flight International
