Sikorsky Debuts 'Rotor Blown Wing' UAS

Drone successfully flies in both helicopter and fixed-wing flight modes.

Kimberly Johnson

Monday, March 10, 2025 at 03:44 PM ET

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Kimberly Johnson

Sikorsky demonstrates a rotor blown wing tail sitter drone can transition between helicopter and fixed wing flight modes. [Courtesy: Sikorsky]

Key Takeaways:

Lockheed Martin's Sikorsky successfully flew its "rotor blown wing" uncrewed aerial system, demonstrating stable operation in both helicopter (VTOL) and fixed-wing flight modes.
The 115-pound drone, with a 10-foot wingspan, performed 30 transitions between modes and reached a top cruise speed of 86 knots.
This innovative design combines helicopter and airplane characteristics for faster, farther flight, with potential for scalability to larger sizes and diverse applications including military intelligence, search and rescue, and surveillance.

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Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky has successfully flown its “rotor blown wing” uncrewed aerial system in both helicopter and fixed-wing flight modes, it announced Monday.

The 115-pound twin-prop drone with a 10-foot wingspan takes off and lands like a helicopter from a tail-sitting configuration, transitioning and cruising in forward flight like an airplane. The “rotor blown wing” term stems from the constant airflow from the proprotor wash across the wing, according to the company.