UAV Hybrid Power System for Frontline Resupply and Loitering Munition Delivery

We propose the development and integration of a hybrid power system for an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) that is designed for aerial resupply, cargo delivery, loitering munitions delivery, and communications relay missions. The proposed hybrid power system (the “Pelican HPS”) will significantly reduce the acquisition/operating cost, risk to life, and fuel consumption in the performance of such missions and extend the range/endurance of a similarly-sized battery-powered UAV by ten times. An example of a current resupply aircraft is the UH-60 Black Hawk, which costs $6M, has a payload capacity of 2,600 pounds and carries up to 360 gallons of fuel. The Black Hawk is oftentimes used to carry small, inexpensive cargo such as ammunition boxes and food. This presents a mismatch between the cost, payload capacity, and fuel consumption of the aircraft with respect to the cost and weight of its cargo. This mismatch wastes fuel and unnecessarily puts personnel and equipment at risk. The Pelican HPS is based on a proven, heavy-fuel-based internal combustion engine (ICE) used in maritime VTOL UAVs. The HPS produces 16.5 kilowatts (kW) of power, sized for a multirotor/multicopter UAS to carry 100 lb. of payload for one hour/30 miles, or 50 lb. for 3 hours/90 miles. The proposed payload capacity is sufficient for a large swath of missions, such as delivering light machine guns, multiple cans of 5.56 NATO, medical supplies, or water/food to the frontline. For these missions, by using the proposed HPS, the amount of fuel consumed would be reduced from 100 gallons to 3 gallons, and the value of the equipment at risk would be reduced from $6M (the cost of a Black Hawk) to sub-$200k (the cost of a UAV). The proposed work includes integration and test flying of the HPS with an existing heavy-lift UAV produced and funded by Skyfront. The integration validates performance and forces resolution of any potential difficulties in commercializing the Pelican HPS system, such as concerns pertaining to vibrations, aerodynamics, and thermal dissipation. The proposal stands in contrast to simply building a standalone hybrid power system that has been merely bench tested and not actually flown. The integration will serve as a reference for further commercial work and integration onto other, larger UAVs, whose future applications include troop transport and medical evacuation.The proposed Pelican HPS is a scaled up version of Skyfront’s commercially available and proven HPS that is used by the Skyfront Perimeter 8 multirotor, which holds the world record for multirotor flight time and range at 13 hours / 205 miles. The Skyfront team has over 10 years of experience designing and commercializing hybrid power sources. The company has generated over $27.5M in revenue over the last four years selling hybrid-electric technologies to both commercial and military customers all over the world.