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

Verified

Edited By:

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 flight in both helicopter (VTOL) and fixed-wing modes.
The 115-pound drone performed over 30 transitions between flight modes and reached a top cruise speed of 86 knots.
The design proves scalable for larger variants, with potential applications for military intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), search and rescue, and operations from challenging environments like pitching ship decks.

See a mistake? Contact us.

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.