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Lab-Developed Flight Technology Ready for Takeoff

DARPA approves the transition to commercial sector.

Technology developed under DARPA’s Vertical Lift and Takeoff Experimental Plane program has gained approval to transition to the commercial sector. Photo credit: Aurora Flight Sciences

The Defense Advanced Research Agency (DARPA) has agreed to allow Aurora Flight Sciences to transition its X-Plane program technology to commercial applications, including expanding its research into commercial electronic vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) systems, the company has announced.

Developed for DARPA’s VTOL Experimental Plane (X-Plane) program, the XV-24 subscale vehicle demonstrator delivered a number of key aviation milestones: distributed electric propulsion ducted fans; an innovative synchronous electric-drive system; both tilt-wing- and tilt-canard-based propulsion for vertical takeoff and landing; and high-efficiency in both hover and high-speed forward flight.

The program advanced the concept of distributed electric propulsion applied to Aurora’s eVTOL on-demand aircraft, which is being developed in partnership with Uber Elevate.