German two-stroke engine specialist Hirth Engines GmbH and New Hampshire-based ePropelled, an innovator in high-efficiency propulsion solutions, have announced a strategic collaboration aimed at “delivering the next generation of hybrid propulsion solutions for the UAV, aerospace, defence, and specialised mobility markets,” according to a 13 January joint release.
Together, the companies will develop integrated hybrid systems designed to offer unmatched performance, extended mission endurance, and greater operational flexibility, leveraging Hirth’s decades of experience in advanced combustion engines and ePropelled’s reputation for highly efficient electric propulsion and power management technologies. The resulting hybrid solutions are expected to provide:
- Significant fuel‑efficiency gains
- Extended flight duration and payload capacity
- Lower lifecycle operating costs
- Enhanced reliability and redundancy for mission‑critical applications
- Improved sustainability, meeting emerging regulatory and environmental standards
By merging mechanical power with advanced electric power generation, the hybrid systems will serve customers who require superior power‑to‑weight ratios, long operational endurance and dependable performance in challenging environments.
Bruno‑Gerard König, CEO of Hirth Engines, asserted that the partnership “[…] elevates what our engines can achieve and opens new opportunities in fast‑growing sectors such as UAVs and advanced air mobility.” ePropelled’s Founder and CEO, Nick Grewal, added: “Combining our intelligent electric power‑generation systems with Hirth’s world‑class engines allows us to deliver hybrid solutions that set a new benchmark for performance and efficiency. This collaboration accelerates the future of hybrid propulsion.”
DA Comment
With an avowed aim of focusing on applications such as UAS, defence and security ISR requirements and lightweight hybrid ground vehicles, the collaboration will obviously attract strong interest from military and security agencies. It comes at a particularly interesting time when the vast increase in the use of UAS is revealing vulnerabilities and capability gaps vis-à-vis endurance, operational range and payload capacities – many of which can be improved with the use of more effective propulsion, especially in harsh environments such as desert or Arctic warfare.
R&D and system integration work has already begun and the two companies expect to showcase some of the early results at UMEX in Abu Dhabi this month.
Headline image: the Hirth 3508HF is specifically designed for UAS and light aircraft applications, with an emphasis on heavy fuel capability (Hirth Engines GmbH). Body image: The ePropelled iPS6000 Hercules Series of UAS power systems convert 3-phase AC to regulated DC power for enhanced reliability, efficiency and improved SWaP constraints. (ePropelled)
