An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) engine (40) lubrication system and lubrication oil heating strategy uses a solenoid actuated electric oil pump (10,42) to deliver lubrication oil to the engine from a lubrication oil reservoir (12,44) by energizing and de-energizing the solenoid (18) to operate a pump mechanism of the electric oil pump. A controller (ECU) (100) can control operation of the electric oil pump, the solenoid maintained energized for a required period of time to cause heating of the oil without continuously pumping the oil. An electric oil pump control strategy can maintain engine speed dependent minimum oil delivery rates, can heat the electric oil pump and oil through extended energized (ON) time of the solenoid, and, by varying the turn on time of the electronic oil pump based on sensed ambient temperature, long time periods can be used to ensure oil delivery for cold temperatures, and shorter times are permitted when necessary in order to reach maximum oil flow rate.