Currawong Develops Power Electronics & Propulsion Systems for UAVs

Currawong Engineering, a leading designer and manufacturer of high-quality power electronics and propulsion systems for UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) and drones, has partnered with Unmanned Systems Technology (“UST”) to demonstrate their expertise in this field. The ‘Gold’ profile highlights their advanced turnkey engines for UAVs, electronic fuel injection (EFI) technologies and drone electronic speed controllers (ESCs).

Currawong’s aerospace-grade Velocity electronic speed controllers are designed to provide high-power, high-reliability control of 3-phase brushless DC drone motors. Featuring a peak output power of greater than 20kW, Velocity drone speed controllers are ideal for extreme heavy-lift platforms.

With native support for Piccolo and Ardupilot, Velocity ESCs can be easily integrated into a variety of drone designs. A wide range of parameters can be configured and graphed in real time via our power CEquip PC software, and firmware can be updated over CAN without the need to remove the ESC from the aircraft.

Thanks to optimized power electronics design and extremely low impedance MOSFET circuitry, the Velocity ESC runs cooler even when operating at maximum load. Excellent thermal management means that most UAV applications will not require active cooling beyond natural convection of air over the ESC.

The Velocity ESC has also been designed for superior performance even in high-temperature and high-vibration environments. With a lightweight anodized enclosure machined from aerospace aluminium, and high-quality conformal coating, the rugged brushless motor ESC units are engineered for longevity.

The Corvid-29 is a small 2-stroke engine that provides a complete high power density solution for small UAV propulsion. Based around a 3W-28 engine, it is equipped with a custom-designed crankcase, throttle body and low-noise exhaust. The high-reliability 29cc engine features Currawong’s proprietary EFI system and maintains optimum engine operating parameters in all phases of flight, avoiding the common flaws of carbureted engines such as icing, top-of-climb engine stalls and incorrect fuel-air ratios.

The Corvid-29 engine has undergone thorough reliability testing based on US Federal Aviation Regulations Part 33 (FAR 33), including two 150-hour cycle based endurance tests without the need for a major overhaul.

The Corvid-50 is a high-power single-cylinder engine designed for UAVs with a maximum takeoff weight of 25 to 40 kg. Based on the Desert Aircraft DA-50 engine, it features a custom crankcase, crankshaft, throttle body, starter generator, inlet manifold and integrated isolation mount. The high-reliability engine features Currawong’s proprietary robust EFI system and maintains optimum engine operating parameters in all phases of flight.

The Corvid-50 has passed a preliminary assessment against the endurance test specified in the US Federal Aviation Regulations Part 33 (FAR33).

To find out more about Currawong Engineering and their power electronics and propulsion systems for UAVs, please visit their profile page.