Bloomfield-based LiquidPiston Inc., a technology startup that makes rotary combustion engines, has entered into a $9 million agreement with the U.S. Army to design, build and demonstrate a heavy-fueled combustion engine that uses 30% less fuel than its gasoline-powered counterpart.
The system will be 10 times smaller and lighter than comparable gasoline-powered combustion engines in the same power class, the company said in an announcement.
The LiquidPiston engine will be used in unmanned aircraft systems, providing extended range for ground, sea and air vehicles, more efficient auxiliary power units and increased power capability, the company said.
LiquidPiston won a $150,000 contract with the U.S. Air Force to adapt the company’s X-Engine technology for use in unmanned aerial systems in 2021.
In 2020, the company received a grant to develop engines for unmanned aircraft for the U.S. Army. Earlier that year, it doubled the size of its 6,000-square-foot facility.
