New Gas Turbine for Drones Displayed at Army-2018 Forum

The small-size turbojet engine has typical design layout: a subsonic input unit, a single-stage centrifugal compressor, a reverse-flow combustion chamber, a one-stage axial-flow turbine, and a convergent jet nozzle. The engine is equipped with electronic control system, motor-driven dosing fuel pump, oil circulating system with motor-driven oil pump and low-voltage ignition system.


TD-30M represents the line of engines designed by SDB Turbina with the thrust ranging from 7 to 70 kgf. According to designers, their engine will help to reduce maintenance costs because of supplies of Russian-made components and performance of regular and repair works by the Russian company. Also, designers assure that the fuel consumption rate of their kerosene engine is less than foreign analogues, and generator power exceeds similar parameter of the small-size turbojet engines produced abroad.

"As a basis, we took Russian turbines applied in the ground hardware, say, in tanks. Sure, we are competed by large companies, that is why we make every effort to ensure the required characteristics and reduce costs", Alexander Usoltsev, designer at SDB Turbina told Mil.Press Today.

The company does not expect instant orders from the military. The engine is still at the stage of testbed trials, and the company’s representatives consider their participation in the forum as laying groundwork. "We have some projects at civil market. Having approved ourselves there, we hope to attract someone from defense industry", summed up Usoltsev.

The Army-2018 International Military & Technical Forum is held in August 21-26 at the Patriot Congress & Expo Center, Alabino Range, and Kubinka Airbase near Moscow. As for the Russian Defense Ministry, the event is attended by 1,500+ companies that present over 20,000 products.