Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, has successfully tested a rotor blown wing uncrewed aerial system (UAS) that can transition between helicopter and airplane flight modes, according to a press release from the company.
The prototype, weighing 115 pounds (52 kg) and powered by batteries, demonstrated stability across multiple flight regimes and the ability to transition between vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) and fixed-wing flight. The company states that the design could be scaled up with hybrid-electric propulsion.
The tail-sitter drone was developed by Sikorsky Innovations, the company’s rapid prototyping group. According to Sikorsky, the drone completed more than 40 takeoffs and landings in January 2025, including 30 transitions between helicopter and airplane modes. The company also reported that the aircraft reached a top cruise speed of 86 knots during horizontal flight tests.
Sikorsky Vice President and General Manager Rich Benton described the technology as an effort to advance next-generation VTOL UAS aircraft that could offer greater range and speed compared to traditional helicopters.
“Combining helicopter and airplane flight characteristics onto a flying wing reflects Sikorsky’s drive to innovate next-generation VTOL UAS aircraft that can fly faster and farther than traditional helicopters,” Benton said in the release.
The company also conducted wind tunnel tests on a full-scale model alongside the flight trials to validate its control system and aerodynamic performance.
According to Sikorsky Innovations Director Igor Cherepinsky, the data from the test flights indicates the aircraft could operate from ship decks and unprepared ground if scaled up.
“Our rotor blown wing has demonstrated the control power and unique handling qualities necessary to transition repeatedly and predictably from a hover to high-speed wing-borne cruise flight, and back again,” Cherepinsky said.
Sikorsky suggests that potential applications for the technology include search and rescue, firefighting monitoring, humanitarian response, and infrastructure surveillance, as well as long-range intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions and crewed-uncrewed teaming (C/UT) operations.
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Interesting but there are or have been a number of tail sitter type drones of this nature one that the US navy was testing last year and the Tern of a decade ago from Northrop Grumman which was a flying wing and to be honest looked more of a finished product than this. Will be interesting to see if this one comes to anything.