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 test-flew its "rotor blown wing" uncrewed aerial system (UAS), a 115-pound twin-prop drone with a 10-foot wingspan.
The UAS demonstrated stable operation in both helicopter (vertical takeoff/landing from a tail-sitting configuration) and fixed-wing (airplane-like cruising up to 86 knots) flight modes, including over 30 successful transitions.
This innovative design combines the speed and range of airplanes with helicopter VTOL capabilities, offering a simple, scalable, and affordable solution for diverse applications such as naval operations, search and rescue, surveillance, and military intelligence.

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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.