Alternative Power Source for Small Unmanned Ground Vehicles

Current small robotic platforms, or small unmanned ground vehicles (SUGV's), are facing increased mission requirements. The power supply capability of these SUGV's is frequently the limiting factor in the ability to meet the increased demands of additional electronics and sensors, and longer missions. A higher volumetric energy density alternative power source (APS) is needed to provide additional power for the mission while staying within the same size occupied by batteries. Aerodyne Research, Inc. proposes to modify its miniature engine/generator technology to meet the needs for a 250 W APS system. We have demonstrated operation of the miniature engine/generator at this size scale on JP-8 fuel. This engine/generator has a volumetric energy density above 1000 W-hr/liter for mission durations over 10 hours for a fully packaged system, including the fuel volume. In this proposed Phase I program, we will design a 250 W JP-8/diesel-powered APS system based on the miniature engine/generator technology for electric hybrid-mode operation of SUGV's.