The United Engine Corporation, part of Rostec, presented an advanced powerplant in Novosibirsk at the Technoprom-2023 event, which is suitable for use in air taxis and transport drones. Unlike cars, it combines an electric motor with a gas turbine unit instead of an internal combustion engine.
The HPU [hybrid power unit] is optimal for long-range vertical take-off and landing UAVs in the field of logistics and air mobility. I believe that the trend of large drones is now emerging. The trend of creating heavy UAVs and the development of HPUs can have a synergistic effect.
Mikhail Shemet added that UEC is in negotiations with several development companies to create aircraft with HPUs. But one should not expect the rapid appearance of serial copies - UEC itself says that prototypes of vehicles based on HPUs may appear only in 5 years.
We are trying, together with aircraft developers, to proceed from the market, that is, to understand what the customer needs, but I do not exclude that the market needs to be created.
The power of the presented HPU is 500 kW. To lift an aircraft weighing about 3 tons, two such units will be required, which will allow transporting cargo weighing up to 500 kg.
