Kawasaki Heavy Industries continues to develop its unmanned drone, the K-Racer-X2. In addition, the brand is now focusing on new usage scenarios, such as on the high seas, after carrying out some practical tests in collaboration with the Japanese Naval Defense Forces. Specifically with the experimental ship Asuka, as we have learned from our colleagues Naval News.
This news is also related to the exhibition of the K-Racer-X2 at the “Japan Aerospace Exhibition 2024 (JA2024)”, where the brand highlighted the applications that it can have in maritime environments. This is confirmed in the publication on the X social network, by the Japanese naval army itself, where we can see the Kawasaki drone, equipped with the brand’s Ninja H2R mechanics, in full maneuver on the deck of the ship.
ver力を獲得するため、無人アセット防衛能力を強化することとしており、広域に分散展開した部隊等への迅速な補給品の輸送を実施するため、輸送用ＵＡＶの導入について、検討の上、必要な措置を講ずることとしています。 pic.twitter.com/PdlUZg0rPV
— 防衛省海上自衛隊 (@JMSDF_PAO) February 9, 2024
With the shared images it is also detailed that: “The National Defense Strategy, etc. requires strengthening the defense capabilities of unmanned assets to acquire capabilities that contribute to ensuring asymmetric superiority in the air, on the surface, at sea, etc., and to quickly resupply troops deployed in a wide area. For the transportation of goods, we will consider the introduction of transport unmanned aerial vehicles and take necessary measures.”
Kawasaki K-Racer-X2: Up to 200 kg and 100 km of autonomy
As we told you previously, the K-Racer-X2 It has been designed to transport merchandise without the need for a driver or pilot, from any location. This includes remote or hard-to-reach locations. To do this, it uses the well-known 998 cc Ninja H2R inline four-cylinder engine that manages to offer 310 HP of power at 14,000 rpm. The maximum engine torque rises to 165 Nm at 12,500 rpm.
In this latest test, carried out in January of this same year at the JMSDF Yokosuka base, Naval News colleagues report that: “In cooperation with the experimental vessel Asuka, in which approximately 30 kg of supplies were suspended from the K-Racer-X2 and lowered from the dock to the deck of the vessel. According to a Kawasaki Heavy Industries representative, this test was conducted using a moored vessel for safety reasons, but in actual operations, supplies are expected to be transported to the ships while they are underway.”
In Kawasaki’s latest statement, the brand explains that the K-Racer-X2 is “a new air mobility solution for logistics. “While conventional drones have the advantage of being easy to use, they present challenges in terms of payload, range and wind resistance.”
It is also explained that “Use cases include transporting supplies in mountainous areas or by sea, as well as providing support in disaster situations. “There are cases where heavy objects are transported manually with manual labor, and our solution aims to replace those dangerous and hard tasks.”
He concludes by referring to the fact that: “Currently, flight testing of the second-generation prototype, K-Racer-X2,” is underway, and we will conduct proofs of concept (PoC) for each use case. With the knowledge and technology gained through these efforts, we will develop mass production models and bring them to market. “We are also considering the adoption of power units that align with decarbonization goals in the future.”
