UAV Turbines announced that its Monarch 5 engine can now run on natural gas, signifying an unmatched level of fuel flexibility. The addition of natural gas extends the uses of this technology beyond flight and into ground emergency and standby power generation for both onsite and remote application areas and provides a clean energy fuel source.
While the interest around the commercial drone industry is abundant, the technology needed to advance the market and to develop successful drones is still developing as manufacturers search for key engine partners that can deliver both ground power and increased capabilities for missions. This means engines need to find a more reliable, cost-effective fuel. UAV Turbines found that natural gas is not only more environmentally friendly, but it also does not go bad when stored, making this option more reliable for users on long missions where gas needs to be kept for months or even years at a time. Additionally, bulk natural gas is relatively inexpensive compared to diesel, making this a more affordable option for users.
Natural gas paired with UAV Turbines’ Monarch 5 microturbine engine solves these problems manufacturers are experiencing and creates a more reliable engine capable of improving lives, providing medical supplies and even creating a new form of air transportation. This new milestone demonstrates even more possibilities for ground power and extends the uses of this technology with many different use-cases apart from solely aircraft propulsion, including powering hard-to-access remote weather stations, oil fields, telecom towers, construction sites, emergency field teams, stationary first-responders and military vehicle communications.
