Pulse jet engines have their drawbacks, but can greatly facilitate the production of kamikaze UAVs. And the US military is already dealing with them.
US company Wave Engine Corp. tested an experimental drone Scitor-D equipped with a pulse jet engine. War Zone believes this technology could have a major impact on the weapons industry.
Wave Engine launched the Scitor-D unmanned aerial vehicle with a gross weight of approximately 45 kg and a maximum payload of 10 kg in recent tests. The UAV is part of a series of drones with external motors mounted on top, a design that allows for simple instrumentation and low-cost manufacturing.
During the test flight, the drone was propelled solely by a pulse jet engine and produced more than 23 kg of thrust, equivalent to more than 222 Newtons. It accelerated on wheels along the runway, took off, gained altitude and landed successfully, which was captured on camera.
Important
Following testing, Wave Engine announced the J-1, the first production pulsejet engine that also produces more than 23 kg of thrust. The J-1 is a lighter, more aerodynamic version of the engine used in the Scitor-D, the company told The War Zone. Engineers also announced the creation of engines capable of developing thrust of up to 113 kg of force (more than 1112 Newtons). According to Wave Engine, this will be enough to launch a drone, rocket or aircraft with a gross weight of up to 453.5 kg.
“We continue to expand performance and flight capabilities. We have been working for years to harness the power of sound and fire, and we believe this will transform the industry,” said Daanish Maqbool, CEO of Wave Engine.
As New Atlas explains, a pulsejet engine is a type of power plant with a chamber into which air and fuel are supplied. They ignite and create a fireball that pushes heated, high-pressure gases down the pipe and out the exhaust, creating airflow. When this happens, the pressure inside the engine drops, creating a partial vacuum, which draws in fresh air and ignites another burst of fuel to repeat the process.
Such an engine has fewer moving parts, unlike a conventional turbine, promising low-cost jet performance. These were used in World War II, for example, when they were mounted on V-1 (Vergeltungswaffe-1 or V-1) cruise missiles that attacked London, the capital of Great Britain. Technology is coming to the fore again due to the use of single-use UAV types such as the Iranian Shahed kamikaze or the Ukrainian AQ-400 Scythe.
Since low cost and rapid production are key to kamikaze attack drones, pulse jet engines can be used provided they can offer the same level of or better efficiency as gas turbine engines, according to The War Zone. One of the traditional disadvantages of pulse jets is high noise levels, but for an expendable UAV this may not be such a big problem.
The armed forces of the United States and several other countries have already shown interest in this technology, Wave Engines reported in a comment to The War Zone. Moreover, some of the developments are already “an important component of the active program of the Ministry of Defense.” It’s unclear whether we’ll see next-generation pulsejet engines in drones and missiles, but given that the Pentagon is considering purchasing lots of cheap remote-controlled weapons, they have a good future.
In early March, they wrote that the world’s largest attack FPV drone had passed tests. The Mantis aircraft belonging to PR-DC from Serbia is armed with 120 mm ammunition that explodes with the target on impact.
Source: Focus
Ashley Fitzgerald is an accomplished journalist in the field of technology. She currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker. With a deep understanding of the latest technology developments, Ashley’s writing provides readers with insightful analysis and unique perspectives on the industry.