US comes calling for Kiwi remote-controlled planes

A company pioneering the use of small remote-controlled aircraft for military and commercial uses has attracted interest from the United States.

Rene Redmond, a director of Palmerston North's Skycam, said it was looking at collaboration with Sonex Research, a firm in Maryland that specialises in engine technology for what are known as unmanned aerial vehicles.

Skycam's civilian craft, which weigh about 14 kilograms and have three-metre wingspans, have a converted petrol-powered four-stroke "weed whacker" engine.

Mr Redmond said Sonex had expertise in small diesel and kerosene engines, which were more economical and efficient, and were favoured by the military.

Skycam's petrol-engined craft could fly for six hours, but that could rise to nine hours if it was powered by diesel.

"Sonex approached us because they have not so far had a lot of experience converting four-stroke engines to their technology.

"They approached us with a view to helping us to develop our engine to get more economical performance, run it on heavier fuel, and in the process they get to test their technology in our hardware."

He said Sonex was closely tied in with a Boeing subsidiary that makes unmanned aircraft for the US military and there was potential for cooperation. There was also a lot of interest in the New Zealand-developed autopilot system being used on the Skycam craft.

This system, pioneered for the army by Auckland's Defence Technology Agency, enables flights to be fully automated. A ground operator indicates where the craft has to fly and tells it what to do.