Unmanned Aerial Systems Pty Ltd
was awarded A$293,000 (USD 220,00) through the Defence Innovation Hub to combine features of a helicopter and a fixed wing aircraft in order to increase performance, efficiency and capability.
Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP, said:
“The Defence Innovation Hub is supporting Australian industry throughout all development stages of the innovation process; from concept exploration and technology demonstration, through to prototyping and integrating capability demonstration and evaluation,”
“Investing in Defence innovation will not only build the innovation capabilities of Australian industry and research organisations, it will also deliver innovative capability solutions for use by Defence.”
Funded at around $640 million over the decade to 2025-26, the Defence Innovation Hub accepts proposals on innovations at all stages, from early stage concept exploration and technology demonstration through to advanced prototypes for integration, test and evaluation.
StopRotor Program Objectives
The prime objective is to demonstrate controlled, routine starting and stopping of the rotorwing in-flight enabling transition between fixed and rotary wing flight in a single aircraft.
The air vehicle performance objectives are as follows:
- Increased aircraft hover efficiency: Retain and improve Helicopter hover efficiency with minimum compromise to achieve range and endurance targets.
- Increased aircraft cruise efficiency: Lift to drag 10:1 or greater (wind tunnel demonstrates 17:1 in clean configuration)
- Useful load & payload fraction (40% and 10-12% of gross weight respectively)
- Increased aircraft sustained flight speeds: High speed, long endurance, long range (relative to MTOW State of the art)
Sources: Press Release; website