Argive, an Oxford-based company that spun out of Oxford University's materials department and is now a subsidiary of high-tech metals specialist Alloyed, is at the forefront of producing affordable, 3D-printed microturbines for drones. The company, backed by $78 million in venture capital investment, has developed engines like the A300 and A1100, which are significantly lighter, more efficient, and compact due to their additive manufacturing process. This method drastically reduces the number of parts needed, for example, a turbine chamber is made from a single component instead of 40, and the mass of the turbine chamber is cut by 25%.
Argive's microturbines are designed to power military drones, with their A300 already integrated into MGI Engineering's SkyShark one-way strike drone, offering a 250km range with a 20kg payload. A larger version, the TigerShark, will use an Argive engine to achieve a 750km range at speeds up to 750km/h and carry a 300kg payload. The company aims to produce 1,000 engines monthly, rapidly expanding the UK's drone fleet capabilities at a lower cost, thereby reducing reliance on foreign suppliers for critical defense technology.
The development process for these engines is remarkably fast; Argive conceived the design for its first microturbine in March and showcased it powering a SkyShark drone by July. The A1100, with 120kg of thrust compared to the A300's 30kg, went from design to first test in just 100 days and is expected to ship in November. This rapid innovation and production capacity are crucial for the UK's goal of re-invigorating its manufacturing sector and addressing evolving geopolitical landscapes, providing both defense and humanitarian applications for their propulsion systems.
Rob Joles, Commercial Director at Argive, emphasizes that the company can tailor engines to customer needs, leveraging their proprietary superalloys, software modeling, and additive manufacturing expertise. The use of nickel superalloys like ABD®-900AM allows for stronger, more complex, and lightweight hot components. Argive's ability to design, prototype, and test microturbines within weeks and its capacity to produce hundreds to thousands monthly in the UK, supported by a nearshore supply chain, positions it as a key player in strengthening UK sovereignty in critical propulsion technology. The low cost and rapid production stand in stark contrast to the tens of thousands of dollars typically associated with UAV-grade turbojets.
