Author: Subash

Forces continue to gather to put more pressure on buyers of aerial drones to quickly find alternatives to Chinese-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and components.

Be it legislation, calls for better solutions, or lists of approved vendors, the flight from such Chinese vendors as DJI and T Motors is gaining steam.

For example, the state government of North Dakota is putting its money where its intent is on drones. With some 90 percent of drones used by state agencies coming from China, a legislator – with the backing of the governor – is proposing spending $15 million to replace these drones.

And there are now a variety of lists that tout the UAV vendors that provide non-China made drone alternatives. The US Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), for example, developed the Blue UAS Cleared List earlier this year. DIU aims to strengthen US national security by accelerating the adoption of US-centric commercial technology throughout the US military.

Approved lists for state agency buyers

In other UAV procurement lists news, Florida’s state government now requires its agencies to only purchase drones from an approved list of manufacturers based on recommendations from the state’s Department of Management Services.

Of course, the drive to find alternatives to Chinese drones and parts is a global undertaking. For example, the Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine last month showcased the UAV capabilities of several of its own domestic manufacturers. The appeal was designed to help grease the skids toward the exclusive use of non-Chinese UAV vendors there.

Both public and private concerns are working to find counterparts to Chinese drone vendors and components suppliers. The Drone Advocacy Alliance, for example, is a non-partisan, drone-agnostic grassroots advocacy coalition formed to ensure that drone users are able to weigh in on government policies on UAV market accessibility and options. By working with industry stakeholders and legislators, the alliance expects to quickly create an open and accessible U.S. drone marketplace.

US warned of need for speed

These efforts to wean the world off Chinese drones follows moves by the US government in recent years to bring the risks to the attention of the American public and OEMs. Finding new acceptable sources for low-risk UAV supply chain resiliency by US makers of uncrewed vehicles is sure to be an increasingly demanding — and necessary — undertaking.

Indeed, the US Congress is continuing its efforts this week with a new legislative proposal to outright ban new drone sales in the US from two Chinese manufacturers: DJI and Autel Robotics.

And the time is nigh to sort this out, as China is fighting back before the market can mature to a level of more choices. Manufacturers in China ominously recently began slashing sales of essential UAV components to the US and Europe. For example, Chinese makers of motors, batteries, and flight controllers have apparently limited or stopped their deliveries to certain regions, Bloomberg reported this week.

Based in Laconia, NH, USA, ePropelled, Inc. designs and builds a broad array of robust and intelligent propulsion systems for unmanned vehicles. The company empowers unmanned vehicle designers to unleash their total mission creativity by solving the requirements for agile and efficient propulsion systems and solutions.

About ePropelled

ePropelled delivers complete solutions, including propulsion motors, generators, electronic speed controllers, propellers, and state-of-the-art power management systems.

From tiny to massive, from farm fields to the edge of space, ePropelled’s broad range of UAV propulsion motors, starter generators, and controllers leverage patented advances in real-time software to enable hybrid and highly adaptive thrust power delivery across myriad vehicle and energy supply scenarios.

ePropelled optimizes electric propulsion with advanced technology for real-time data monitoring and intelligent instrumentation. Through ePConnected™, unmanned system performance and reliability are always measured and managed, setting new and ever-improving standards in efficiency and innovation.

For more information, contact ePropelled at info@epropelled.com, call 603-236-7444, or visit https://epropelled.com.

The worldwide commercial drone market is experiencing significant growth due to increasing demand from various industries such as construction, agriculture, security, military applications — and so much more, says Philip Hicks, Principal Consultant and Founder at Pravo Consulting in Cheltenham, England.

Market size is projected to reach US$12.3 billion by 2025, driven by technological advancements and a shifting regulatory landscape, says Hicks. For example, in a rapidly broadening range of uses, drones offer benefits like cost savings, improved efficiency, and enhanced safety for businesses.

And notably, China’s regulators recently restricted Chinese manufacturers from exporting UAV propulsion components exceeding 16kW. This development, along with escalating restrictions by the US government on Chinese-made drone devices, creates a critical need for non-China supplied alternatives in the global drone propulsion and platforms market.

Vast market ramps up in many ways

The global commercial drones market size is estimated to grow by US$126.87 billion from 2023 to 2028, according to a report from Technavio. The market is estimated to accelerate at a CAGR of 57.74 percent during the forecast period, according to the report.

Rising applications of drone uses is driving market growth, with a trend toward new development and launches of commercial drones. The report continued: “The commercial drone market is experiencing significant growth due to the continuous introduction of new drones, components, and software solutions by vendors.”

“Companies across various industries are integrating drones into their operations for managing assets, monitoring sites, inspecting facilities, and capturing real-time data… featuring advanced autonomous flight technology and artificial intelligence (AI), ensuring safe and stable flight in challenging environments. Such innovations increase the availability of advanced drone products and software solutions, fueling the adoption of commercial drones in the forecast period,” according to the report.

North America alone is estimated to contribute 43 percent to the growth of the global market during the forecast period, says the Technavio report. In North America, the US Department of Defense (DoD) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are investing strongly in the R&D of advanced electronics and sensors for military UAVs, which will replace many existing avionics systems. Moreover, the US government is empowering the defense forces to pursue more drone capabilities. Drones, for example, are widely used by the DoD for surveillance, security, and spying.

Small drone undertake big jobs

For example, palm-sized drones like the Black Hornet 3 by Teledyne are expected to be used for surveillance, spying, and guiding small military units and platoons. In various battlefields, the success of UAV-enabled strikes has increased the reliability of drones, which is likely to further accelerate their demand and subsequently fuel even further, says the report.

Based in Laconia, NH, USA, ePropelled, Inc. designs and builds a broad array of robust and intelligent propulsion systems for unmanned vehicles. The company empowers unmanned vehicle designers to unleash their total mission creativity by solving the requirements for agile and efficient propulsion systems and solutions.

ePropelled delivers complete electric propulsion solutions, including propulsion motors, engine starters, intelligent power systems, starter generators, and intelligent air motor controllers.

Look to ePropelled for solutions

From tiny to massive, from farm fields to the edge of space, ePropelled’s broad range of propulsion solutions leverage patented advances in real-time software to enable hybrid and highly adaptive thrust power delivery across myriad vehicle and energy supply scenarios.

ePropelled optimizes electric propulsion with advanced technology for real-time data monitoring and intelligent instrumentation. Through ePConnected™, unmanned system performance and reliability are always measured and managed, setting new and ever-improving standards in efficiency and innovation.

For more information, contact ePropelled at info@epropelled.com, call 603-236-7444, or visit https://epropelled.com.

Expect one the most impactful technology transfers in recent decades over the next five years as more technologies and design lessons learned from uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) find a new home on the ground.

Driven by innovations in navigation and communications, the global uncrewed ground vehicles (UGV) market is estimated to grow from $2.7 billion in 2022 to reach $3.6 billion in 2027, with a CAGR of 5.7% annually, according to a new Markets and Markets report on UGV market trends.

Military uses for new UGV designs will grow the most, says the report. And development of new and advanced payloads, including fully autonomous UGVs, will drive both the commercial and military market segments, the report adds.

Big growth from smaller vehicles

What’s more, smaller UGVs — between 10 and 200 pounds — will grow the most in market volume among all UGV classes, with the overall most development and innovation coming in North America, the report says.

The UGV revolution is really the culmination of a variety of long-term technology and industrial trends that exploit the increased modularity of design, says Hudson, a 40-plus-year veteran of automotive and electric vehicle design engineering for such firms as Jaguar, Aston Martin, Ford, Lotus, and Tata Motors, before joining ePropelled in 2021.

“Having a modular architecture for vehicles means the controller itself doesn’t really care what it’s controlling. If it’s a vehicle, it doesn’t matter if it’s flying, in the water, or on the land,” says Hudson.

The control problem of flying an unmanned aircraft and the problem of controlling an UGV are precisely the same. You have slightly different hazards, but nonetheless the basic motion control and the physics are pretty much the same, he says.

Transfers of tech from air to land pays dividends

But if you have a control system that is already robust from a different domain, like UAVs, and apply it to a new vehicle domain like UGVs, you may be skipping 70 to 90 percent of the testing time, which means significantly reducing your time to deployment, says Hudson.

Therefore, new UGV system development time comes way down. And, very critically, dependence on highly skilled and scarce resources – like the software engineers – comes down, too.

In some ways building UGVs will come with more benefits and lower total costs than the ramp-up in UAV innovation over the past five years.

“The opportunity in ground vehicles is that you’re not so constrained by the vehicle’s mass and the battery size. If you’re trying to fly an aircraft, the weight of everything matters down to the nearest gram,” says Hudson.

There are certainly some limitations but a lot more opportunities for what you can realistically do in the electrically driven ground vehicles arena, he added.

Look for more hybrid propulsion in UGVs

Hybridization of the vehicle propulsion is one technology adaptation that ground vehicles can learn from airborne ones.

“ePropelled has been a pioneer in the use of hybrid propulsion for UAVs, and we would imagine that all the applications that will come down to us for UGVs will be similarly benefited,” says Hudson. “And, in fact, we may even be able to take some UAV propulsion systems and use them as onboard generators for UGVs.”

Where you really can’t do everything fully electric — the crossover zone of the one- to five-ton ground vehicles, for example — may well be a place where we see hybridization happening quickly, according to Hudson.

If we divide up the UGV market, there are smaller UGVs up to around about one ton in vehicle mass. If we take that as a breakpoint, everything below that is pretty easy to electrify because you don’t need a huge amount of power. You don’t need a huge amount of battery energy, he says.

Where some of the motors we have developed for other purely commercial electric vehicle applications work really well in solving the traction problems for any UGVs, said Hudson.

Based in Laconia, NH, USA, ePropelled, Inc. designs and builds a broad array of robust and intelligent propulsion systems for unmanned vehicles. The company empowers unmanned vehicle designers to unleash their total mission creativity by solving the requirements for agile and efficient propulsion systems and solutions.

ePropelled delivers complete electric propulsion solutions, including propulsion motors, engine starters, intelligent power systems, starter generators, and intelligent air motor controllers.

Look to ePropelled for solutions

From tiny to massive, from farm fields to the edge of space, ePropelled’s broad range of propulsion solutions leverage patented advances in real-time software to enable hybrid and highly adaptive thrust power delivery across myriad vehicle and energy supply scenarios.

ePropelled optimizes electric propulsion with advanced technology for real-time data monitoring and intelligent instrumentation. Through ePConnected™, unmanned system performance and reliability are always measured and managed, setting new and ever-improving standards in efficiency and innovation.

For more information, contact ePropelled at info@epropelled.com, call 603-236-7444, or visit https://epropelled.com.

A beneficial confluence of trends and demands has elevated hybrid propulsion models as the top contender for dynamically powering all manner of uncrewed vehicles in the coming years.

Hybrid is one powerful reason why ePropelled, Inc. of Laconia, NH, has adopted the “uncrewed, unlimited” moniker to describe how it serves the fast-growing markets for remotely and autonomously navigated vehicles on land, air, and sea.

Hybrid power models solve most energy and range requirements for uncrewed vehicles use cases by exploiting the best – separately and together — of what electric, internal combustion engines (ICEs), chemically stored energy like batteries, and environmentally available sources of energy like solar and wind provide.

Unlimited propulsion solutions

The possibilities for durability, ruggedness, payloads, and speeds are truly unlimited when data tracing and analytics from the propulsion and increased energy density and reduced charging times are added to the operations management mix.

By bringing all the variables at play into data streams for real-time analysis and feedback, the best propulsion and onboard power options can be accommodated and adjusted during any mission with no end in sight.

Hybrid propulsion adoption is accelerating and extending into new applications thanks to advantageous trends in battery technology, starter-generator-motor advances, artificial intelligence (AI), high vehicles demand, and lowering total costs. Hybrid is being designed into all manner of vehicles, now that these advantages are well-established in uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs).

By managing the intricate integration of hybrid propulsion systems within a single device, ePropelled has solved the significant engineering and operational challenges to ensure reliable, adaptive, and efficient electric and hybrid propulsion options in a single system.

A variety of options among vehicle power systems allows for more choices based on different mission parameters. UAVs, for example, can be either fully electric, powered by ICEs, or operate in a hybrid mode, where the vehicle power system works with the ICE to provide electrical power to the craft when necessary.

Hybrid for AI-optimized operations

Indeed, the 2024 ISG Provider Lens global eMobility Services and Solutions report finds that the transition to electric, and therefore hybrid, propulsion systems has crossed into all modes of transportation – from cars, trucks, buses, to even scooters and bicycles.

Makers of high-performing batteries and adept chargers are rapidly innovating to deliver longer and swiftly repeated ranges for all types of vehicles. And engineers are using AI across all aspects of hybrid mobility, including algorithms to extend battery life, optimize charging, and predicting maintenance needs, the report says. AI is also essential to the analytics that enable autonomous navigation and ongoing performance improvements.

Further spurring innovation in hybrid propulsion for UAVs are adoption of new technologies, government investments in R&D, shifting in perspective towards sustainability, and competitive global trade issues, according to the Global UAV Power Device Market Research Report by Global Market Vision.

Continued advancements in hybrid electric powertrain technology, such as the development of more efficient electric motors and integration of advanced energy management systems, means the global hybrid electric powertrain market is set for substantial growth beyond UAVs.

Optimize the total design with hybrid propulsion

The hybrid mode offers all uncrewed vehicle designers the option of optimizing engine size while using the battery for range extension, emergency landing, or power assist on takeoff or outset on land and water. As a result, a smaller engine will work in situations that demand high power and the operational range can be extended thanks to the option of using battery power.

These moves on land are happening at all stages of transportation, even enhancing the proven benefits of hybrid-electric technology in urban mass transit. For example, New Flyer of America Inc., a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc., has added BAE Systems’ Gen3 modular power control system (MPCS) and traction motor as an available powertrain option for Xcelsior hybrid-electric transit buses built from model year 2025 onward.

The next-generation system from BAE Systems is smaller and lighter than the previous generation product, providing more reliability, more efficiency and a better total cost of ownership over the life of the bus.

For several years now, fluctuating fuel prices and a need for fuel efficiency have driven automotive electric vehicle (EV) consumers toward hybrid electric vehicles. The same forces are now moving demand from the air and land to the seas to propel a boat and ship across the water.

Recreational vessels, defense vessels, yachts, ships, and tugboats, and uncrewed drones for myriad commercial uses are now being designed with hybrid propulsion systems.

Such uses are expected to bolster development of a worldwide hybrid crossbreed and full-electric marine drive market for crewed and uncrewed vehicles of all types, says a new research publication by Market Analytics on Marine Hybrid & Full Electric Propulsion Market Insights, to 2030.

So when ePropelled uses “uncrewed, unlimited” to describe its addressable market and ultimate value, it’s no surprise that the sky and vast oceans are indeed not the limit.

Early pioneer in hybrid propulsion

USA-based ePropelled is a global leader in patented magnetics engineering, dynamic hybrid propulsion solutions, connected telemetry-based data gathering, and AI-enabled performance analytics across a wide range of compact and dynamic motors, controllers, and generators.

ePropelled has supported hybrid propulsion systems since 2021, and offers a wide range of customizable hybrid power solutions for UAVs, uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs), and uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs).

An ePropelled starter generator in an ICE-equipped hybrid vehicle can be changed from power-generation mode to power-assist mode, enabling it to draw power from the battery and use it for propulsion, thereby supplementing the engine. Starter generators can therefore act like range extenders, powering the propulsion motors during maneuvers. They can also switch to generator mode, extracting power from the ICE to charge batteries and flight instruments. The quality of such range extension depends on the power conversion rate (the energy from fuel converted to electric power with minimum losses).

For example, the ePropelled Hybrid Ready product line is a family of components that combines:

• A combined starter generator and propulsion motor
• An intelligent air motor controller with a built-in electronic engine starter, and
• The intelligent power system.

These modular components can be mixed and matched to supply hybrid propulsion solutions across an extremely wide range of power.

Indeed, the right hybrid solutions can keep weight and cost down while extending operational range and time and allowing any uncrewed vehicle to be self-contained when starting the engine. Truly uncrewed, unlimited.

Based in Laconia, NH, USA, ePropelled, Inc. designs and builds a broad array of robust and intelligent propulsion systems for unmanned vehicles. The company empowers unmanned vehicle designers to unleash their total mission creativity by solving the requirements for agile and efficient propulsion systems and solutions.

ePropelled delivers complete solutions, including propulsion motors, electronic speed controllers, propellers, and state-of-the-art power management systems.

Look to ePropelled for solutions

From tiny to massive, from farm fields to the edge of space, ePropelled’s broad range of propulsion motors, starter generators, and controllers leverage patented advances in real-time software to enable hybrid and highly adaptive thrust power delivery across myriad vehicle and energy supply scenarios.

ePropelled optimizes electric propulsion with advanced technology for real-time data monitoring and intelligent instrumentation. Through ePConnected™, unmanned system performance and reliability are always measured and managed, setting new and ever-improving standards in efficiency and innovation.

For more information, contact ePropelled at info@epropelled.com, call 603-236-7444, or visit https://epropelled.com.

The global unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) components and systems market has been roiled in recent years by contentious trade and national security concerns.

The latest hammer blow came as the US Department of Commerce banned T-MOTOR (Jiangxi Xintuo Enterprise Co. Ltd.), a major supplier of propulsion motors for US-built UAVs, or drones. T-Motor was one of several suppliers added to the US Entity List, which means suppliers need licenses before shipping goods and technology.

High hurdle for drone makers

The ban, effective April 11, 2024, created an urgent supply chain hurdle for large multirotor and separate lift and thrust (SLT) and vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicle makers in the US because Chinese brushless motors have long been popular in powering these larger airborne platforms.

But the global market for middle- and lower-end UAVs are also newly disrupted. In short, to comply with the edict, many US vehicle designers will need to rapidly swap out all of their UAV motors and any other components from T-Motor for now legally allowed ones.

As a result, the new law and updated Pentagon procurement programs may very well tilt the playing field back to the level for US autonomous vehicle manufacturers, not only in the air — but on land and water, too.

A chance to change the industry

“Despite the recent T-Motor ban by the US Government, we see this as a chance to revolutionize the industry,” said Nick Grewal, CEO of ePropelled, Inc. in Laconia, NH. “Let’s transform what may initially appear as bad news into an incredible opportunity.”

The tensions between the US and China over technology supply chain concerns have been brewing for several years. Congress in 2019, for example, banned the Pentagon from buying or using drones and components manufactured in China.

Escalating tensions over trade

The trade wars have not been only one-way. According to Reuters, China in July 2023 announced export controls on some drones and drone-related equipment. The limits that began Sept. 1, 2023, were designed to safeguard “national security and interests” amid escalating tension with the US over technology products. The restrictions were placed on some drone engines, lasers, communication equipment, and anti-drone systems, and said no commercial drones could be exported for military purposes, according to China’s commerce ministry.

Mistrust is likely to continue over the use of Chinese commercial products for military purposes by countries deemed hostile by the US and its allies. More systems and suppliers may be curtailed or banned, as T-Motor products have been.

Finding new acceptable sources for low-risk supply chain resiliency by US makers of autonomous vehicles is sure to be an increasingly demanding and necessary undertaking.

“It’s essential to develop a comprehensive drone industry in the US immediately,” said Grewal. “The global drone market is projected to grow from $30.6 billion in 2022 to $58.4 billion by 2026, highlighting the increasing significance of drone technology. China currently dominates the commercial drone market. To counter potential threats and secure a competitive edge, the US and its allies must invest in research, development, and production of advanced drone systems now. At ePropelled, we are doing just that.”

Based in Laconia, NH, USA, ePropelled, Inc. designs and builds a broad array of robust and intelligent propulsion systems for unmanned vehicles. The company empowers unmanned vehicle designers to unleash their total mission creativity by solving the requirements for agile and efficient propulsion systems and solutions.

ePropelled delivers complete solutions, including propulsion motors, electronic speed controllers, propellers, and state-of-the-art power management systems.

Look to ePropelled for solutions

From tiny to massive, from farm fields to the edge of space, ePropelled’s broad range of propulsion motors, starter generators, and controllers leverage patented advances in real-time software to enable hybrid and highly adaptive thrust power delivery across myriad vehicle and energy supply scenarios.

ePropelled optimizes electric propulsion with advanced technology for real-time data monitoring and intelligent instrumentation. Through ePConnected™, unmanned system performance and reliability are always measured and managed, setting new and ever-improving standards in efficiency and innovation.

For more information, contact ePropelled at info@epropelled.com, call 603-236-7444, or visit https://epropelled.com