Unmanned Systems Technology 004 | Delair-Tech DT18 | Autopilots | Rotron RT600 | Unmanned surface vehicles | AMRC | Motion control | Batteries

48 bearing on which the rotor spins – the equivalent of the big-end bearing in a reciprocating piston engine. In a reciprocating engine, the heat is generated at the top end and, distanced from the combustion chamber by the length of the con rod, the big-end bearing runs down at the bottom end, where there is a good supply of cool oil. “In our case the combustion face and the bearing are millimetres apart,” remarks Cardozo. In a UAV application the engine runs continuously at a high power setting, causing the main bearing to experience prolonged elevated temperature. “What we found with the rotary engine for paramotor and UAV use was that it was prone to overheat internally, which caused irreversible damage to some of the most critical engine components,” Cardozo says. “Brian [Crighton] told us that the Achilles heel had always been the needle roller bearing between the rotor and the eccentric shaft lobe, which was prone to overheat and fail during sustained high-power operation” Rotron experimented with a wide range of high-tech materials and lubricants in order to overcome this ongoing Autumn 2015 | Unmanned Systems Technology Dossier | Rotron RT600 UAV rotary engine Rotron is part of the Gilo Industries Group (GIG), of which the CEO is Jim Edmondson, and the founder and CTO Giles ‘Gilo’ Cardozo. Based at Semley (near Shaftesbury) in Dorset, England, GIG incorporates Parajet, Crighton Racing and Rotron, and employs 50 people, of whom 35 work for Rotron. Within GIG, Brian Crighton is currently developing a new rotary-engined motorcycle; Rotron is supplying complete engine and gearbox units to Crighton Racing for this. It is also supplying Parajet with engines and a new, undisclosed aero project within GIG, which will take the form of another company. Rotron is a dedicated engine company. Outside investment (from Martin-Baker Ejection Seats) secured in 2012 has enabled it to expand its facilities for design, development, test and production. In due course its output will reach 100 engines a month. Rotron has its own engine and engine/propeller test dynos, with climatic control that can allow an engine to be tested down to -36 C. It builds all its engines in-house. Key personnel at Rotron Giles ‘Gilo’ Cardozo , founder and GIG CTO Jim Edmondson , GIG CEO Alex Head , GIG technical director Brian Crighton , head of engine development Sam Bellefontaine , head of production Mark Burley , head of electronics and engine testing The company The Gilo Industries Group was founded by Giles ‘Gilo’ Cardozo Engine testing at Rotron The Achilles heel had always been the needle roller bearing between the rotor and the eccentric shaft lobe, which was prone to overheating