Among the range of commercially feasible propulsion systems, compression ignition (CI) engines present many advantages for light-duty vehicle operation. In particular, CI engines remain an optimal choice for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) designed to operate at moderate flight speeds. However, one of the primary limitations of CI engines is that they require well-characterized, highly-reactive diesel fuel to operate properly. As the United States Department of Defense implements the single fuel concept and with global efforts to develop alternatively derived fuels, it is paramount that modern CI engines have the capability to perform with a diverse variety of fuel types. At its core, this challenge can be framed as an ignition problem, where low reactivity fuels and extreme operating conditions result in long ignition delays, engine misfires, and power loss. It is for this reason that novel ignition devices be developed to support reliable CI engine operation. Hot surface energy addition devices are a promising technology to improve ignition behavior, but the mechanisms by which the heating element supports the ignition process are not well understood. This study evaluates the performance and limitations of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) heating elements in functioning as continuous-use ignition devices for kerosene-fueled CI engines. Furthermore, it examines the interaction between a single high-pressure fuel spray with a hot surface device in order to identify the most important parameters for optimizing ignition behavior. Results of these experiments demonstrate that existing heating elements can accelerate the ignition process for fuels with a wide range of reactivities, assuming a sufficient surface temperature can be achieved. Reaching these temperatures in an engine environment and maintaining these temperatures for long periods of operation, with acceptable heating element durability, will be the primary challenges in developing next-generation ignition systems. Advisors/Committee Members: Lee, Tonghun (advisor).