Photo: General Atomics
In the world of military drones, the Gray Eagle is a sort of a veteran. Having had its first flight back in 2004, it entered service five years later in the hands of the U.S. Army. That means it's been in our skies for some 14 years, and when it comes to military tech, 14 years is a very long time, so upgrades are a given.
Last we heard of this General Atomics piece of tech was back at the end of May, when we learned of a version of it called Gray Eagle Extended Range (GE-ER) taking flight with long-range sensors one usually gets to see on fighter aircraft.
The thing is back in the news, as last week the company making it announced a major milestone for the drone, the first test flight with a more powerful engine on board.
In normal, Extended Range guise, the Gray Eagle is powered by a diesel engine capable of developing 180 horsepower. That number is 20 percent higher than the standard version, and it allows the drone to carry 4,200 pounds of cargo, including four Hellfire missiles if need be.
For a drone this size (28 feet/9 meters long and 4,200 lb/1,905 kg heavy) 180 hp seems like more than enough, but that's not what the company behind it and the soldiers using it seem to feel. That's why the Gray Eagle is about to get an upgrade and a bump in power.
Last week we were told General Atomics put to the test, for the first time, a 200 horsepower heavy fuel engine. The test took place at the beginning of May at the company's facility in El Mirage, California. We're not told how it went, but given how the company released official info about it, it probably went just fine.
As for the engine itself, we know it has been put together with help from famous powerplant maker Cosworth, and comes with dual brushless generators. These are needed to help reduce field maintenance for the drone, but they also contribute to the Gray Eagle getting 50 percent more electrical power.
And for a military drone, more electrical power is essential, as it allows it to deploy more and newer payloads. In the current configuration, the Gray Eagle can carry 400 lb (181 kg) of cargo internally, and 500 lb (227 kg) on the centerline.
The engine currently being tested will completely replace the 180 hp on this kind of military machine, should the U.S. Army give it the thumbs up. It's unclear at this point when this will be, but General Atomics says testing will continue throughout the year. Hopefully, as testing proceeds, we too will learn a little more about the powerplant's capabilities.
The thing is back in the news, as last week the company making it announced a major milestone for the drone, the first test flight with a more powerful engine on board.
In normal, Extended Range guise, the Gray Eagle is powered by a diesel engine capable of developing 180 horsepower. That number is 20 percent higher than the standard version, and it allows the drone to carry 4,200 pounds of cargo, including four Hellfire missiles if need be.
For a drone this size (28 feet/9 meters long and 4,200 lb/1,905 kg heavy) 180 hp seems like more than enough, but that's not what the company behind it and the soldiers using it seem to feel. That's why the Gray Eagle is about to get an upgrade and a bump in power.
Last week we were told General Atomics put to the test, for the first time, a 200 horsepower heavy fuel engine. The test took place at the beginning of May at the company's facility in El Mirage, California. We're not told how it went, but given how the company released official info about it, it probably went just fine.
As for the engine itself, we know it has been put together with help from famous powerplant maker Cosworth, and comes with dual brushless generators. These are needed to help reduce field maintenance for the drone, but they also contribute to the Gray Eagle getting 50 percent more electrical power.
And for a military drone, more electrical power is essential, as it allows it to deploy more and newer payloads. In the current configuration, the Gray Eagle can carry 400 lb (181 kg) of cargo internally, and 500 lb (227 kg) on the centerline.
The engine currently being tested will completely replace the 180 hp on this kind of military machine, should the U.S. Army give it the thumbs up. It's unclear at this point when this will be, but General Atomics says testing will continue throughout the year. Hopefully, as testing proceeds, we too will learn a little more about the powerplant's capabilities.
Google News