Patent ID: 6883503

Claim:
A supercharged reciprocating engine assembly for a miniature, unmanned aircraft, comprising: an engine sized and configured for powering said miniature, unmanned aircraft and having an engine block defining at least one cylinder, and a piston reciprocatingly and slidably disposed within each cylinder; a single air intake passage for conducting combustion air into said at least one cylinder; a rotatable output shaft rotatingly driven by said engine and projecting forward therefrom; a propeller disposed proximate a forward end of said rotatable output shaft; a single duct disposed to house an axial flow air pressurization device mounted on said output shaft therein, said single duct having an intake end disposed proximate said propeller, and a discharge end operatively connected to said single air intake passage, said single duct configured to route air pressurized by said axial flow air pressurization device within said single duct to said single air intake passage of said engine; and a diverter disposed in said single duct to selectively route pressurized air into said single air intake passage of said engine and to discharge pressurized air away from said single air intake passage of said engine; both said single duct and said single air intake passage being disposed between said propeller and a forward side of said engine.