has announced that its newest heavy-fuel UAV engine, the NW-230, has achieved first flight operations with an undisclosed customer. The flight was conducted on a hybrid vertical take-off and landing (HVTOL) UAV.
These successful flight operations elevate the NW-230 engine system to a Technical Readiness Level (TRL) of 7 for flying in an operational environment under end-user mission control.
Continued flight operations with the engine are on-going including active flight demonstrations being executed for end-users with real-world missions.
The NW-230, an EAR 99 export approved Heavy-Fuel UAV Engine, is expanding the availability of the engine to a global scale. The NW-230 is the next commercially available EAR-99 approved propulsion system in Northwest UAV’s family of engines which also includes the NW-44 and NW-88.
The NW-230 EFI HF engine is designed for 90-160 kg aircraft. It is purpose-built to operate on heavy-fuel (JP5/JP8/TS-1/Jet A). The NW-230 uses combat-proven components derived from the NW-44 and NW-88 engine systems in operation at TRL9 on several airframes worldwide. The NW-230 is an excellent choice for companies looking for an Aviation Grade, turn-key, cost-effective solution for their aircraft.
Initial operational capability orders for NW-230 engine systems are being issued with deliveries in Q1 of 2024 for multiple UAV platforms.
About Northwest UAV
As an American company, Northwest UAV is hyper-focused on supporting America’s national defense initiatives and investing in technology that helps their customers and end-users put additional distance between them and the emerging threats in the world. NWUAV continues to engineer the future of unmanned power systems through innovation, delivering unmatched capabilities that address modern challenges and navigate the toughest environments. For over 17 years our experienced team has equipped customers with reliable, cost-effective propulsion solutions – propelling systems to new heights and unlocking new mission sets. Northwest UAV is an AS9100-D/ISO9001-2015 certified, DCAA and NIST CSF compliant operation.
Source: Press Release