Unmanned Systems Technology 007 | UMEX 2016 report | Navya ARMA | Launch & recovery systems | AIE 225CS | AUVs | Electric motors | Lethal autonomous weapons

22 I n March at the UMEX show in Abu Dhabi, 91 companies from 23 countries demonstrated their latest offerings in unmanned systems. It is a sign of the growth in the industry that after its launch last year during the International Defence Exhibition and Conference, UMEX is already running as a standalone exhibition. Our man walking the aisles, Rory Jackson, has come back with this round-up. Boeing subsidiary Insitu is nearing completion of an all-new engine for its ScanEagle long-endurance UAV. According to the company, it is the first heavy-fuel reciprocating internal combustion engine to be designed and built from the ground up for unmanned aerospace applications. Insitu previously reported that the system is being designed as a single- cylinder, two-stroke engine, with a 2 kW maximum power rating – 0.5 kW over ScanEagle’s current engine – although it will run at about the same maximum continuous power setting as before. The engine was designed and developed by Orbital Corporation, of Perth, Australia – chosen as the preferred supplier of engines to the new-generation ScanEagle last year – in collaboration with Insitu. “One feature of this new engine design is minimised vibration output through optimised component design and engine combustion control. In addition, the engine vibration isolation system has been completely redesigned to minimise transmission of vibration from the engine to the airframe,” said the company. The engine will be fielded in Q3 2016. Highlights of some of the most interesting technology unveiled at this burgeoning exhibition in the Emirates capital Arabian sights April/May 2016 | Unmanned Systems Technology Insitu’s ScanEagle is to get an all-new engine, designed to minimise vibration