British engine maker Cubewano has adapted a heavy fuel UAS engine to create Hornet — a lightweight portable generator weighing just 28 lbs (12.7 kg) and producing one kilowatt of power.
Light enough to be carried by one person, Hornet will run on almost any fuel including JP8 heavy fuel, so complies with the US Army’s single fuel concept.
At the heart of Hornet is Cubewano’s lightweight heavy fuel rotary engine, which was perfected as part of Class 1 increment 2 — a programme to develop the next generation of unmanned air aircraft for the US armed forces.
Craig Fletcher, founder and CEO of Cubewano, said: “We initially developed an engine for use in unmanned aircraft, which involved an exceptional power to weight ratio — producing over one horsepower per pound and which would run on almost any type of fuel. We then began to examine other possible uses this power source could have.
“An obvious application was a lightweight portable generator for troops in theatre. A platoon currently carries up to 11 battery types weighing up to 436lb for a 72 hour mission, as current generators running on heavy fuel are too heavy for one person to carry.
“Developing a power generation solution around our small and efficient heavy fuel rotary engines for the military market was a logical step.”
Hornet is auto-start and will produce enough power for 13 laptops, or other essential equipment such lighting and radio gear. A variety of packaging options are available including cased or open frame. The power output options include 28v DC, 12v DC, 240v 50hz AC and 110v 60hz AC.
Source: Press Release