AUVSI's Unmanned Systems 2016

UAS Propulsion: New Developments, Research and Pathways Toward Improved Performance (Room 265-268)

02 May 16
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

Tracks: Air, Research and Development

Speaker(s): Len Louthan, Owner, Louthan Engineering; Michael Kass, Senior Research Staff, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Leonid Tartakovsky, Director, Internal Combustion Engines Laboratory, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology; Jeff Ratcliffe, Chief Technical Officer/Engineering Services Business Development, Northwest UAV ; John Nevadomsky, Director, Pan Pacific Unmanned Test Range Complex, Alaska Center for UAS Integration

The propulsion unit is a critical component of unmanned aerial systems. It not only provides the thrust, but also powers the instrument and sensor packages, sets the durability and environmental limits, determines operational range and payload and is the primary sources of thermal and acoustic signatures. In this panel session, different propulsion systems (reciprocating engines, rotary engine, fuel cells, batteries, etc.) will be described along with their impact on UAS performance. System size and integration are critical to advancing and meeting the needs of future UAS platforms, and, in fact, the power systems of UASs are hybrids containing two of more power sources. The panel will discuss recent activities and directions on the development and testing of UAS power systems, emphasizing civilian (personal), commercial, and military applications.