RCV awarded engine contract

UK-based RCV Engines has been selected by Honeywell to produce a demonstrator engine based on the company’s patented Rotating Cylinder Valve technology.

Intended for use in Honeywell’s backpack-sized Micro Air Vehicle (MAV), the high power to weight ratio and multi-fuel capability available from RCV technology reportedly makes this type of engine an ideal choice for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) applications

The MAV autonomous surveillance aircraft has been developed as part of the US Defense Advanced Projects Agency (DARPA) MAV Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration programme.

The new two-cylinder 60cc RCV engine shown as installed on Honeywell’s MAV

The vehicle is small enough to be carried on a foot soldier’s back and is designed to provide soldiers with improved situational awareness without exposing them to enemy fire through forward- and downward-looking video cameras that relay information to a remote ground station video terminal.

The new RCV technology demonstrator engine to be delivered to Honeywell for evaluation with the MAV will have a nominal capacity of 60cc and is targeted to deliver 4.2bhp at 8200 rev/min. According to RCV, this performance is based upon the use of JP8 fuel, drawing upon the multiple fuel tolerance, high power to weight ratio and high-speed capability of the RCV engine concept.