Evolution version of "V-22 Osprey", development of vertical take-off aircraft with built-in electric propeller on wings will begin

A tilt rotor machine which mounted a rotor whose angle changes and which balanced vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) and high-speed flightV-22 OspreyThe development of a new model which can be said to be the successor of "It is going to be started. The VTOL aircraft, which will be newly developed, seems to be adopting an unprecedented design that puts small electric propellers in front and rear wings respectively.

DARPA Announces VTOL X-Plane Phase 2 Design
http://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2016-03-03

Government agencies developing military technologies in the United StatesDARPA(National Defense Advanced Research Projects Bureau) developed a series of developments to realize a new VTOL machine "VTOL X-Plane Phase 2(VTOL X Plane · Phase 2) "announced today. In the announcement, DARPA announces that Aurora Flight Sciences is selected as a contractor as a development company.

Aurora - Flight Sciences


An image movie of VTOL X Plane · Phase 2 given the name "Experimental Plane" has already been created and you can see the design of the whole new concept.

VTOL X-Plane Phase 2 Concept Video - YouTube


"X plane / phase 2" aircraft appearing in the hangar. From the size of the person who sees a little sideways, you can see the image of the approximate size of the aircraft.


I revealed the aircraft of a strange design that I have never seen before. A structure with a wing like a ladder in the front and rear of the fuselage, a small rotor is built in between the front and rear wings. Three small wings and nine rotors are built into large wings, each of which is driven by a motor.


At the rear of the fuselage, we can see what seems to be the exhaust port of the jet engine installed for power generation.


X plane and phase 2 to stand by for takeoff 2. By the way, because there is a small wing, the left side is the front side of the aircraft, so it may be a bit confusing to look at the sense of so-called Cessna aircraft.


When taking off, the front and rear wings are rotated 90 degrees in this way, and the form is changed to blow the thrust of the rotor toward the ground.


Rotating the rotor vigorously, the aircraft emerged as a flight. Although the appearance is V-22 Osprey itself, it is different from the V-22 Osprey that the front and rear wings are rotating (tilting) and that the whole wing is tilted.


If you rise to a certain height while leaning the wings ......


Flight forward by tilting the aircraft forward. Although this one shot tends to think that it is flying to the left side of the screen, in fact the direction of travel is reversed. As mentioned above, a person with a small feather (canard) will be in front of the aircraft,Advance to the right towards the screenIt seems to be uncomfortable until you get used to it.


X plane / phase 2 which began to fly towards the other side of the screen


We continue to fly to the right of the screen. For a while from the start of flight, we are flying with the wings tilted ... ...


When entering the flight mode the angle of the wing changes horizontally


Then it transitions to level flight. AgainI'm flying to the right.


X plane phase during level flight 2. It looks like an aircraft that I have not seen before, but depending on what I see, it feels like retroBiplaneIt may be a bit alike. The aircraft features a jet engine that generates 3 megawatts of electricity. This is equivalent to 4000 horsepower when converted to horsepower.


Rotate the rotor with the power of the jet engine and fly X plane Phase 2. Its maximum speed is 400 knots (About 740 km / h), It is expected to be much larger than the 565 km / h speed of the V-22 Osprey.


X plane Phase 2 that came back to the original base 2. Gradually tilt the wings ...


Transition to the VTOL mode that is directed straight upward.


And landing as it is. The movement around here is the VTOL machine itself.


And landing. Because the electric motor is driving the rotor, it seems that the runway and deck are not influenced by the exhaust heat like the V-22 Osprey is also greatly beneficial.


As for this aircraft, since the stage for designing for practical use is about to start, actual shape and input timing etc are unknown. DARPA SecretaryAshish BagaiDr. "Dr. Aurora's team noticed that it had all left to do, that I realized that there was still room for inventing, which is exactly a new element of engineering and technology, realized with real aircraft It makes us feel great expectation, "he said in a statement.