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News Release from: RCV Engines | Subject: RCV Engines MAV engine
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 07 May 2008
Engine contract signed for tiny aircraft
RCV Engines has won a second major contract from American defence and aerospace manufacturer, Honeywell, to produce a rotating cylinder valve engine for its backpack-sized Micro Air Vehicle (MAV).
RCV Engines has won a second major contract from American defence and aerospace manufacturer, Honeywell, to produce a rotating cylinder valve engine for its backpack-sized Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) This follows on from a successful development and testing programme begun in December 2006, using the rotating cylinder valve engine technology developed by the company at its base in Wimborne, Dorset, UK
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 6 Feb 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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The MAV is being developed by Honeywell as part of an advanced technology programme promoted by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), with whom RCV has worked since 1999.
Military uses of the MAV include the clearance of mines and other munitions, as well as general surveillance and reconnaissance work.
In addition to its intended military roles, the MAV also has numerous potential civilian applications, including border monitoring, fighting forest fires, geological surveying and filming sporting events.
A crucial advantage of RCV engine technology is its ability to operate on standard military grade JP8 fuel, avoiding the need for troops to carry petrol.
Indeed, as the single fuel concept (SFC) applied by the US Department of Defense requires that US forces use only JP8 fuel while on deployment, RCV engine technology is also suitable for many other small military engine requirements such as mobile generator sets.
The 60cm3 RCV engine has been successfully completed.
For the next stage of development of the MAV application, the engine will be upgraded to a 70cm3 unit, providing 3.65kW while running at 8000rev/min (compared with 3.2kW at 8200rev/min for the previous version).
Among the projected changes are the use of new materials technology and research into a new electronic control system for more precise control of fuelling.
A key objective is to achieve a weight-neutral design change in upgrading the engine.
Delivery of a demonstration engine is expected in five months.
RCV Managing Director Eric Hill said: "The RCV engine is robust and reliable, has comparatively few moving parts and an impressive weight-to-power ratio, all of which makes it an ideal power unit for micro unmanned aerial vehicle applications such as Honeywell's MAV".
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