US Army researchers fly hybrid electric drone with 3D-printed heavy-fuel rotary engine
The VICTOR drone uses its engine to spin a 400-volt motor-generator rather than turn the propellers directly, and metal 3D printing let engineers drop a bulky liquid cooling system.
Researchers at the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory have successfully flown the VICTOR, a vertical take-off and landing drone powered by a heavy-fuel rotary engine that was rapidly developed using metal 3D printing, according to a report by Tom's Hardware. The engine runs on JP8, a denser kerosene-based fuel the military wants to use across as much of its gas equipment as possible.