Specialists from the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) have begun developing a powerful hybrid power plant for unmanned aerial vehicles. The goal of the project is to create an engine for drones with a payload capacity of over 500 kg and promising air taxis. The work is being carried out within the framework of a state grant.
The new power plant is a series hybrid system. A heat engine drives a generator that produces electricity. It powers electric motors that rotate the propellers. Battery power can also be used for maneuvering and takeoff.
The uniqueness of our development lies in the creation of a series hybrid architecture, where the heat engine is connected to the propulsion system not directly, but through electricity, which ensures greater reliability. And the innovation lies in the development of digital twins, that is, computer models of all components and adaptation to domestic components.
The development will allow aircraft to perform vertical takeoff and landing without the need for a runway. The technology is designed for delivering goods to remote areas, conducting search and rescue operations, monitoring, and solving problems in agriculture.
The completion of development work and testing of the technology demonstrator are scheduled for 2026. The project is being implemented with the support of the Foundation for Supporting Projects of the National Technology Initiative.
Read more materials on the topic:
With a 1150-horsepower engine: the first BELAZ BX20012 mining excavator passed factory tests
Rosatom is preparing to launch the first unit of the Kursk NPP-2
