British-US team reports first drone flight on synthetic fuel
Thursday, Mar 17
LONDON – A joint British-U.S. effort to power drones using synthetic kerosene have taken a step forward with a 20 minute flight of a test vehicle, the Ministry of Defence here said March 16.
British company C3 Biotechnologies, supported by the Royal Air Force and the U.S. Navy, produced 15 liters of fuel in a laboratory to test the engine and undertake a successful flight from an airfield in southwest England.
The next phase of the program, known as Project Vermeer in the U.K., will see C3 Biotechnologies, a spin-out company from the University of Manchester, refine the production process and develop deployable manufacturing facilities capable of producing fuel without major supporting infrastructure.
The December 2021 test used a Callen-Lenz-designed Fregata remotely piloted vehicle, according to the MOD.
https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2022/03/17/british-us-team-reports-first-drone-flight-on-synthetic-fuel/
