Sikorsky has flown a prototype of an interesting flying wing drone that incorporates twin rotors for vertical takeoffs and landings. The concept was unveiled at Verticon in Dallas on Monday. The "rotor blown wing" is a tilt rotor of sorts but because the whole aircraft is the wing it doesn't need complicated technology to make the transition. No performance data was released on the aircraft but Sikorsky has already started thinking about bigger versions using hybrid power. The first prototype weighs 115 pounds and is battery-powered.
Let’s hope the missile does not drop off when the aircraft rotates… I am guessing 70% at least of the 115 pounds (52 kg) is battery, so if they want to go bigger they will have to wait for lighter batteries, or have less batteries proportionally for a motor/alternator – Turbotech in France says its burn anything turbine gives 140 hp for 85 kg.
But it will be 25% more expensive in the US now than in the rest of the world, so I guess a good old Briggs lawn mower will have to do.
Hey, this looks almost like a slightly bigger version of the Xvert r/c model from Horizon Hobby:
That was on the market about 6 years ago. I have one. Flys pretty well (although not like a normal plane) but can’t handle a lot of wind in ‘hovering mode. I hope Sikorsky found a solution to that.