California-based Swarm Aero has partnered with Honeywell Aerospace to supply propulsion systems for its large-class multi-mission unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
The collaboration centers on Honeywell’s proven TPE331 turboprop engine offering an output range between 575 and 1,650 horsepower.
The hardware is planned for installation across Group 5 UAS platforms, now under development, which will be marketed as oversized drones capable of scalable flight formations under the control of small teams.
Group 5 UAS are autonomous aircraft weighing more than 1,320 pounds (5,989 kilograms) that have a flight altitude of 18,000 feet (5,486 meters).
Swarm’s product line is scheduled for rollout later this year, with future production to be supported by a recently inaugurated 80,000-square-foot (7,432-square-meter) Advanced Manufacturing Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Propulsion With ‘Extraordinary Legacy’
Honeywell’s selection for the program is backed by its long-standing distribution of the TPE33 for large defense aircraft.
The machine has undergone multiple iterations since its introduction in the 1960s to match evolving aviation requirements in military and commercial applications.
Depending on its configuration, the TPE33 measures up to 46 inches (117 meters) in length, has a diameter of 21 inches (53 centimeters), and weighs up to 385 pounds (175 kilograms).
Currently, Honeywell has logged approximately 13,000 TPE33 deliveries, with the engines supporting a collective 122 million flight hours in various sectors.
“In many ways, an aircraft is designed around its powerplant,” Swarm Aero CEO and Co-Founder Peter Kalogiannis stated. “It’s a deep relationship that requires both the aircraft maker and engine maker to work extremely closely together… and we found exactly that in Honeywell.”
“The TPE331 is a proven, cost-effective, high-performance engine with an extraordinary legacy, and we’re proud to build our aircraft around it,” he added.
