Risk Reduction Efforts for Mini-Diesel Engines Suitable for a Hybrid-Electric/Engine Powered Organic Aerial Vehicles

Under a Phase I SBIR Contract, D-STAR Engineering had defined a V/STOL Unmanned AerialVehicle system that can have a hybrid electric operation with a diesel engine, an electric motorand schemes for combining the two.The most critical technology that needs development for the UAV is a compact, light-weight, fuelefficient engine that can use military logistics fuels such as JP-8 / Diesel.This Phase II proposal is to explore the development of such an engine, using engine technologiesdeveloped and demonstrated under the DARPA Micro Aerial Vehicle program, and adding newtechnologies as needed to develop an engine for that may be used to demonstrate flight capabilityof an Organic Aerial Vehicle with a JP-8 engine.The proposed Phase II objectives are : Exploratory Experiments with commercial off-the-shelf(COTS) model airplane engines to make 1.3 hp, with increasing number of modifications to theCOTS engines to explore the challenges involved in developing a custom Mini-Diesel engine;Preliminary engine design to provide confidence in performance and weight projections for theengine; Exploratory experiments related to JP-8 fuel atomizing and vaporizing system;Exploratory experiments related to combustion management for control over combustion timingand peak pressures; and Bread-Board experiments with engine control.Experiments related to noise control, exhaust emissions control and aircraft interfaces are notincluded in the proposed effort at this time.The Mini-Diesel engine would be an ideal power source for UAVs and for miniature generatorsets for use by U.S. Special Operations and other highly mobile forces.