Kawasaki Motors partners with Dronamics on UAV engine integration
The focus is on developing advanced propulsion systems that can be applied to cargo drones and potentially to general aviation aircraft.
Kawasaki Motors announced a strategic partnership with Dronamics to collaborate on the integration of Kawasaki’s aero piston engines into Dronamics’ Black Swan unmanned cargo aircraft. The partnership will involve both companies working together on research, development, testing, and validation of propulsion systems for UAVs and other aviation applications.
The long-term collaboration will leverage Kawasaki Motors’ expertise in engine development and Dronamics’ experience in UAV design, manufacturing, and operations. The focus is on developing advanced propulsion systems that can be applied to cargo drones and potentially to general aviation aircraft.
"This strategic partnership with Kawasaki Motors marks a significant step forward in unmanned aviation technology. As an R&D partner, we are more than adopting Kawasaki Motors's advanced aero piston engines – we are collaborating to shape the future of aircraft performance," said Konstantin Rangelov, co-founder and CTO of Dronamics.
The Black Swan platform, capable of transporting 350 kilogrammes over 2,500 kilometres, will be the first to integrate Kawasaki’s aero piston engines. The collaboration also builds on Dronamics’ existing ties with Japan, as the carbon fibre for the Black Swan is already sourced from the country. The companies said the agreement opens opportunities for a fully Japan-built version of the drone to support both logistics and civil protection missions such as disaster relief, emergency resupply, and firefighting.
“Partnering with Dronamics represents an exciting milestone in Kawasaki Motors’s renewed commitment to aerospace innovation. By combining our long expertise in engine development with Dronamics’ pioneering UAV technology, we aim to deliver propulsion systems that redefine performance and sustainability in unmanned and general aviation aircraft,” said Hiroshi Tomomori, Managing Executive Officer and Group Manager of the Aviation Systems Group at Kawasaki Motors.
Kawasaki Motors, part of the Kawasaki Heavy Industries Group, has a long history in aviation and motorcycle engineering. Dronamics, headquartered in Sofia, Bulgaria, is Europe’s first licenced cargo drone airline and operates the Black Swan cargo UAV platform designed for logistics and civil protection.
