Hyogo, Japan and Sofia, Bulgaria – Kawasaki Motors, an engine, motorcycle and powersports producer, has announced a strategic partnership with Dronamics, a manufacturer of civilian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The collaboration focuses on the development of Kawasaki’s aero piston engines for diverse aviation applications and their integration into Dronamics’ flagship Black Swan platform – a civilian unmanned cargo aircraft capable of transporting 350kg at a distance of 2,500km.
Konstantin Rangelov, Co-Founder and CTO, Dronamics, said, "This strategic partnership with Kawasaki Motors marks a significant step forward in unmanned aviation technology. As an R&D partner, we are more than adopting Kawasaki Motors’ advanced aero piston engines – we are collaborating to shape the future of aircraft performance. The fact that Kawasaki Motors has chosen our Black Swan cargo drone platform for their renewed focus on aviation propulsion is a true honor for us and a testament to the technology leadership our team at Dronamics has built over the past decade."
The long-term collaboration leverages the expertise of Kawasaki Motors, a manufacturer of various powersports products, in engine innovation, and Dronamics in UAV design, manufacturing, and operations. The partnership will see both companies cooperate across the full lifecycle from engine development to testing. This includes R&D and integration engineering, flight testing and validation on Dronamics’ civilian cargo UAV, the Black Swan, aiming to set a new standard in aviation propulsion.
The collaboration strengthens Dronamics’ ties with Japanese industry, as the carbon fiber used in its Black Swan drone already originates from Japan. It also unlocks the path for a fully Japan-built version of the Black Swan, designed for the Japanese market serving not only civilian cargo transport, but also disaster relief, emergency resupply, firefighting and other civil protection missions.
Hiroshi Tomomori, Managing Executive Officer, Group Manager, Aviation Systems Group, Kawasaki Motors, said, “Partnering with Dronamics represents an exciting milestone in Kawasaki Motors’ renewed commitment to aerospace innovation. By combining our long expertise in engine development with Dronamics’ pioneering UAV technology, we aim to deliver propulsion systems that redefine performance and sustainability in unmanned and general aviation aircraft.”
Kawasaki Motors, a member of the Kawasaki Heavy Industries Group, is renowned for its high-performance motorcycles. The company draws on long engineering and manufacturing expertise, as well as its heritage in aviation engineering. Dronamics’ know-how in aerospace innovation, including the design, manufacturing and operation of long-range, high-payload cargo drones, will help accelerate time-to-market for Kawasaki Motors’ next-generation propulsion systems, including applications beyond UAVs.
The advanced engine technology is expected to enhance aircraft performance and sustainability, further boosting the Black Swan’s market-leading combination of payload capacity, range, speed and cost efficiency.
