Powering New Possibilities
for Unmanned Aerial Systems
Sentient Blue is offering a solution to the persistent problem of short flight times that currently limits the flight times of 80% of the world’s UAV fleet, which is battery powered. The Sentient Blue hybrid microturbine system will increase flight times by a factor of 4 to 5. The increase in flight time will enable many more UAV missions than are currently possible. It will be a revolution in the UAV industry.
A Sentient Blue hybrid system uses the extremely high power to weight ratio of a micro gas turbine to burn readily available heavy fossil fuels such as diesel and Jet A1. Sentient Blue will leverage the energy density of readily available, heavy fossil fuels such as diesel and Jet -A1. These fuels have an energy density of 45 MJ/kg. The microturbine is coupled to a small, high-speed motor generator unit (MGU), which is the primary source of electrical power on board the UAV.
Key Technical Specifications
Don’t Let Batteries
Bring You Down.
Lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries power 80% of the world’s UAV fleet. At present, battery powered multicopter UAVs are limited to a flight time of 20 to 30 minutes in fair weather. Operators have experienced flight times as short as 7 ½ minutes in the winter months because the energy density of LiPo batteries decreases with temperature. This performance limitation is due to the chemistry of lithium polymer battery technology, which can only provide an energy density of 1 Megajoule per kilogramme (MJ/kg).
Inside the Sentient Blue Hybrid
Micro Gas Turbine
Optimised gas cycle and mechanical design to deliver outstanding performance and low maintenance.
Motor-Generator Unit (MGU)
The primary source of electrical power on board the UAV.
Redundant Full Authority Digital Engine Controller (FADEC)
Control software is designed to DO-178C standards. Hardware is designed and manufactured to DO-254 standards. The FADEC is compliant with Design Assurance Level (DAL) B reliability.
Power Management Unit (PMU)
Capable of meeting customer specified constant and peak electrical power demands at all phases of flight. The hardware and software are designed to DO-254 and DO-178C respectively and fall under DAL B classification.
Lithium Ion Batteries
Lithium ion batteries specified by the customer. The battery array is managed by the Sentient Blue PMU.