RCV Engines
, a specialised manufacturer of small multi-fuel propulsion systems for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), has released a case study detailing the incorporation of the company’s DF70LC heavy fuel engine into a new unmanned helicopter designed and manufactured by Sentinel Unmanned.
The Sentinel Longreach 70 UAV is a small unmanned rotorcraft that has been designed for long-range operation in a variety of conditions, including hostile climates and terrains as well as maritime environments. Sentinel required a maximum endurance of 8 hours, a maximum payload capacity of 6kg and heavy fuel operation, and selected RCV’s DF70LC engine to build the platform around.
RCV’s DF70LC propulsion system is a 70cc twin-cylinder engine that features liquid cooling and delivers an excellent power-to-weight ratio. The airframe design and integration of the engine were performed in close collaboration with RCV, in order to develop a specification that would
allow the design goals and aircraft specification to be fully realised.
Other advantages of the DF70LC engine include:
- Efficient mixture preparation due to patented rotary valve system
- Remote starting using multiple fuels including JP5, JP8 and Jet A1
- Inbuilt heaters and efficient combustion
- Long MTBO (mean time before overhaul) of up to 150 hours for rotary-wing platforms
To find out more about RCV’s DF70LC heavy fuel engine and its advantages as a solution for Sentinel’s unmanned helicopter design, read the full case study here.
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