British kamikaze drone reaches up to 450 km/h with racing car aerodynamics

The British engineering company MGI Engineering has presented two SkyShark kamikaze drones, one with an electric drive and one with a gas turbine, at a live demonstration at Enstone airfield in Oxfordshire, England. The drone is said to be able to reach a top speed of over 280 mph (around 450 km/h). The unmanned drone is suitable for attack missions, reconnaissance and deception.

The SkyShark drone from MGI comes in two versions: one has an A300 gas turbine engine, which is being developed by UK-based company Argive. The second version is powered by the HS125 electric fan motor. This system was developed by Greenjets and is suitable for military missions where a low signature is required to avoid rapid acoustic and thermal detection.

Greenjet emphasizes that the electrically powered drone is hardly inferior to the capabilities of the SkyShark with gas turbine. Rather, the electric drone is an example of how electric drives can be used in military aviation in the future. The electric SkyShark would have similar tactical capabilities to the gas turbine version. The mission performance is roughly comparable. However, the SkyShark with gas turbine will probably be used primarily for missions that require a better thrust-to-weight ratio. The electric variant, on the other hand, is more suitable for missions that require the drone's special stealth characteristics. What both have in common is that they can be produced quickly and inexpensively. However, MGI Engineering does not specify a price.

Both drones are also equipped with a TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching) navigation system. The navigation system is not dependent on satellite signals, so it also works in areas where GPS is not available or GPS signals are disrupted.

One-way missions

The drones are designed as one-way effectors (OWE) for long-range missions, meaning that they cannot return or be recovered after completing their task. The two systems carry payloads of up to 20 kg. This is also the weight of the warhead when the drones are used as offensive weapons.

The maximum speed is 450 km/h. This is also achieved by the special aerodynamics, which are said to be inspired by Formula 1 racing cars. This does not appear to be entirely coincidental, as the head of MGI Egineering is former Formula 1 engineer Mike Gascoyne. Gascoyne worked as an aerodynamicist and technical director for several Formula 1 teams from the 1990s to the 2010s, including Sauber, Benetton, Toyota and Force India.

The aerodynamics are also reflected in the efficiency of the SkyShark: It should be able to engage targets at a distance of up to 250 km with a 20 kg warhead.

(olb)