Watch DARPA’s 24-Prop Prototype Plane Transform In Flight

Friday, April 28th, 2017

A 325-pound, one-fifth scale model of DARPA’s 24-prop XV-24A LightningStrike has transformed in flight:

While this sort of feat is not unheard of — it’s performed by Ospreys and NASA drone prototypes alike — it is a crucial step in scaling up the prototype into its 12,000-pound final form, complete with 61 foot wingspan.

The full-sized version of the craft will be built as an uncrewed drone, with a targeted top speed of 300 to 400 knots, much faster than what helicopters can hope to achieve.

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