Category Archives: Aircraft Propulsion & Energy

Kratos Announces Successful First Flight of Erinyes Hypersonic Test Bed

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. has announced that its Space & Missile Defense Systems Business Unit, a part of Kratos’ Defense & Rocket Support Systems (DRSS) Division, supported the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), in the successful launch and flight of the Kratos Erinyes Hypersonic Test Bed, on June 12, 2024, from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) in Virginia. Continue reading

Piasecki Aircraft Gets US Department of Energy Award for Hydrogen-Powered Urban Air Mobility Feasibility Study

Piasecki Aircraft Corporation has announced that it has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract by the Department of Energy (DOE) to evaluate the feasibility of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Powered Urban Air Mobility (UAM) rotorcraft. The study is focused on the feasibility of using hydrogen fuel cells as a power source for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) UAM vehicles, which are expected to play a significant role in the future of urban transportation. Continue reading

Sky Power International Runs Successful FAR33 Endurance Tests

Propulsion systems in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) must be highly reliable, as the motors are mission-critical components. A proof of reliability is therefore important and is required by every engine manufacturer. Sky Power GmbH therefore tested its SP-110 FI TS GEN and SP-210 FI TS GEN to demonstrate its endurance and reliability with a highly loaded running profile in accordance with FAR33. Continue reading

Hermeus Rolls Out First Uncrewed Aircraft on Journey to Hypersonic Flight

Hermeus, the company operationalizing hypersonic aircraft, has unveiled its first aircraft — Quarterhorse Mk 1 — which will take flight later this year. Designed, built, and integrated in just seven months, this is the company’s second fully-integrated vehicle in the past year, following Quarterhorse Mk 0 which completed its test campaign in November 2023. Continue reading