Kawasaki set to develop aero piston engine for UAV
Kawasaki has teamed up with an UAV maker to develop and supply engines for its large cargo aircraft.
Kawasaki has confirmed a new strategic partnership with cargo drone airline company, Dronamics, which will lead to the development of a new aero piston engine for its ‘Black Swan’ Unnamed Aerial Vehicle (UAV).
The new agreement, which has been described as a ‘long-term collaboration’, will include building the engine through the development phase to testing. This will include R&D and integration engineering, flight testing and validation on Dronamics’ cargo UAV, the Black Swan.
The aircraft is Dronamics’ flagship model, and is said to be capable of transporting 350kg at a distance of 2,500km (around 1,500 miles). It can do that 80 per cent faster, 50 per cent cheaper and with up to 60 per cent lower emissions than “alternative modes of transport”, according to the Kawasaki Motors press release.
Hiroshi Tomomori, Managing Executive Officer, Group Manager, Aviation Systems Group, Kawasaki Motors.
“Partnering with Dronamics represents an exciting milestone in Kawasaki Motors’ renewed commitment to aerospace innovation. By combining our long expertise in engine development with Dronamics’ pioneering UAV technology, we aim to deliver propulsion systems that redefine performance and sustainability in unmanned and general aviation aircraft.”
The new partnership is the latest air project Kawasaki has undertaken, as it recently provided its supercharged H2 SX motorcycle engine to hybrid aircraft company, VoltAero.
The Black Swan aircraft is also designed to help with disaster relief, emergency resupply, firefighting and other civil protection missions.
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