The propulsion system of the target drone
The propulsion system of target drone is the power device and its accessory equipment of target aircraft flight.
1. Piston propeller engine
Early targets were powered by these engines, and many small low-speed targets are still in use today because piston propeller engines consume less fuel and provide longer endurance. However, target aircraft equipped with such engines generally fly at speeds of no more than 150m/s.
2. Turbojet engine
Turbojet engine is the main engine of today's subsonic target aircraft, which has a wide range of speed applications and can also be used in supersonic. However, due to its high cost, it is rarely used in supersonic target aircraft.
3. Rocket engines
Many supersonic targets use rocket engines, including liquid rocket engines, solid rocket engines and solid-liquid rocket engines. They can provide greater thrust and adapt to high altitude flight, in which the solid rocket engine is mostly used for the short flight time of the target bomb or as a target aircraft take-off booster.