Textron’s Lycoming Engines division has found new markets for its man-rated piston engines in the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) segment. For Lycoming, which is celebrating its 85th year manufacturing aircraft engines, its participation in current UAS developments isn’t the company’s first foray into providing engines for unmanned aircraft.
During World War II in the Pacific theater, the Lycoming 435 series, a geared piston engine, flew in a twin-engine Interstate TDR-1 drone that was controlled by a pilot flying nearby in a TBF Avenger. “Our products are multi-use,” said Lycoming senior v-p and general manager Michael Kraft. “An aviation engine is an aviation engine whether the pilot is in the aircraft or on the ground.”
Although the UAS market is relatively small for Lycoming, representing about 10 percent of its business, recent events make piston engines an attractive option for UASpower, Kraft explained. “It is an interesting part of our business. The fact is these are specialty aircraft, not in high volume like general aviation, but it’s an important business.”
Lycoming currently supplies three types of engines for the UAS market, a diesel cycle engine that runs on jet fuel, a spark-ignited multi-fuel burning engine and a gasoline-burning engine.
Aerosonde, which is a business unit of Textron operating unit AAI, manufactures the Aerosonde Mk4.7G, powered by the Lycoming EL-005 multi-fuel engine. The engine has a single-cylinder and displaces five cubic inches and is air-cooled, direct-injected and spark-ignited and thus can run on easily obtainable jet fuel. The Aerosonde smallUAS is on display here at the Textron stand (Outdoor Exhibit L2). It was the first unmanned aircraft to make an Atlantic crossing, in 1998, a flight that took 26 hours, 45 minutes.
Optionally Manned Firebird
The Northrop Grumman Firebird is also Lycoming-powered. A medium-altitude long-endurance UAS, the Firebird’s engine is a gas-powered Lycoming TEO-540, similar to the Lycoming found in many general aviation aircraft, but with Fadec digital controls. The Firebird, which is optionally manned, is ideal for launching from areas where more infrastructure is available and for flying at higher altitudes, according to Kraft. “We’re seeing that every aircraft is a specialty vehicle.” And the appropriate propulsion is critical to the vehicle’s success.
Another critical factor for successful UAS operation is reliability of the powerplant, he explained. “There’s a much larger picture here; the reason for Lycoming’s involvement in the UAS segment gets to operation of UAVs in the national airspace system.” While protocols for sharing airspace with manned aircraft have not yet come into play, it is an important factor for future UAS operations.
“To move to the next stage of UAS operation in the national airspace, you have to move reliability of those vehicles to a much higher level,” he said. “Lycoming has brought to the game a company very focused in aviation for a long time. We know what the elements are to ensure propulsion reliability and thus make this a reliable element of the manned-unmanned teaming situation. We can’t have the weak link be the unmanned [aircraft] part. Reliability is going to approach that of manned aircraft, and that’s going to push the requirements and expectations of UAVs and operation in the national airspace. It’s a great way to onramp some of our advanced technology.”
Lycoming’s own global service and support infrastructure makes it easier to support Textron’s UAS clients from technical publications to fast AOG response. “It’s a big part of being able to support aviation propulsion,” Kraft said. “UAVs have suffered from companies that don’t have the infrastructure and financial stability that Lycoming and Textron have. This is our business, and we have the wherewithal to make it happen from design to technology development to logistics and support.”
Photo: Textron’s Aerosonde Mk4.7G is powered by the Lycoming EL-005 multi-fuel engine
Source: AIN Online