Unmanned Helicopter

K-RACER is a new aerial mobility solution for logistics, combining the strengths of helicopters and drones, aiming to address social issues such as labor shortages caused by declining birth rates and aging population, as well as worsening disasters.

While conventional drones have the advantage of being easy to use, they have challenges in terms of payload, range, and wind resistance.

To overcome these challenges, Kawasaki Heavy Industries combines its accumulated expertise in helicopter development with the small high-power engines developed for motorcycles, proposing unmanned helicopters that are powerful and highly stable. These helicopters can transport heavy cargo weighing up to 200kg to a location 100km away in less than an hour.

The use cases include transporting supplies in mountainous areas or over the sea, as well as providing support in disaster situations. There are cases where heavy objects are manually transported by manpower, and our solution aims to replace such dangerous and harsh tasks.

Currently, flight tests of the second-generation prototype, "K-RACER-X2," are being conducted, and we will proceed with Proof of Concept (PoC) for each use case. With the knowledge and technology gained through these efforts, we will develop mass-production model and bring them to the market. We are also considering adopting power units that align with decarbonization goals in the future.

Rotor diameter	7.0m
Height	2.0m
Max. payload	200kg
Powerplant	Reciprocating engine
Fuel type	High-octane gasoline
Cruise speed	Approx. 140km/h
Range	100km or more
Endurance	1 hour
Wind resistance	Approx. 18m/s

Jan. 12, 2024	K-RACER-X2 Unmanned Helicopter Demonstrates Top Useful Load Capacity of 200kg
Nov. 14, 2023	The latest prototype "K-RACER-X2" was introduced into the "Unmanned VTOL Goods Delivery Platform Development Project" in Ina City, Nagano Prefecture (only in Japanese)
Nov. 29, 2021	Kawasaki succeeds in demonstration of unmanned goods delivery through the collaboration of unmanned VTOL aircraft and delivery robot (only in Japanese)
Oct. 05, 2021	Ina City, Nagano Prefecture, launched the world's first project for establishing a goods delivery platform using unmanned VTOL aircraft in the Central Alps and Southern Alps (only in Japanese)
Oct. 06, 2020	Kawasaki Succeeds in Flight Test of the Unmanned Compound Helicopter K-RACER

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