RCV awarded engine contract for Micro Air Vehicle

RCV Engines Ltd has been selected by Honeywell to produce a demonstrator engine based on the company’s patented Rotating Cylinder Valve technology. Intended for use in Honeywell’s backpack-sized Micro Air Vehicle (MAV), the high power to weight ratio and multi-fuel capability available from RCV technology make this type of engine an ideal choice for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) applications

The MAV autonomous surveillance aircraft has been developed as part of the US Defense Advanced Projects Agency (DARPA) MAV Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration programme. The vehicle is small enough for a foot soldier to carry on his/her back and is designed to provide soldiers with improved situational awareness without exposing them to enemy fire through forward- and downward-looking video cameras that relay information to a remote ground station video terminal.

The new RCV technology demonstrator engine to be delivered to Honeywell for evaluation with the MAV will have a nominal capacity of 60cc and is targeted to deliver 4.2bhp at 8200 rev/min. Crucially this performance is based upon the use of JP8 fuel, drawing upon the inherent multiple fuel tolerance, high power to weight ratio and high speed capability of the RCV engine concept.

Commenting on the award of this important contract with Honeywell, RCV Engines Ltd managing director, Eric Hill said: “We are pleased to be able to support Honeywell and DARPA with this technology demonstrator engine. UAVs are an important element of the battlefield of tomorrow and offer vital protection and effectiveness to land based forces. RCV technology provides some unique benefits for UAVs in terms of performance, efficiency, high power to weight ratio and multi-fuel tolerance.”