Unmanned Systems Technology 026 I Tecdron TC800-FF I Propellers I USVs I AUVSI 2019 part 1 I Robby Moto UAVE I Singular Aircraft FlyOx I Teledyne SeaRaptor I Simulation & Testing I Ocean Business 2019 report

64 I t is not unusual for motorcycle engine and component manufacturers to move into developing propulsion systems for unmanned aircraft, applying expertise from one area to the other. Italian company Robby Moto Engineering is the latest organisation to follow this trend. Surprisingly though, the UAVE, Robby Moto’s first solution offered principally for UAV propulsion, is not a two-stroke engine nor does it come in a form factor suitable for motorcycle integration. The choice of a four-stroke design stems largely from the fact that Robby Moto has more than 25 years of experience in developing parts and designs specifically for four- stroke motorcycle engines, which have achieved significant success in motorsport competitions. The company has gone on to produce complete four- stroke engine systems for motorcycle and aeronautical use, which continue to be developed and matured as design technologies advance. Design philosophy The UAVE is a 23 kg two-cylinder boxer four-stroke engine, and is based very closely on the company’s RES (Range Extender System), a design originally conceived as a hybrid power unit for electric automotive powertrains. The RES was developed in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Milan. It consists of a four- stroke boxer twin engine with an electric generator on the rear of the IC engine that is directly driven by the crankshaft. Rory Jackson reports on how a range extender system inspired the design of this four-stroke UAV engine Range of options June/July 2019 | Unmanned Systems Technology The UAVE is a four-stroke, two-cylinder boxer that originated from a design intended as a range extender for electric vehicles (Author’s image)