– Aurora Flight Sciences has completed the conceptual design phase for its vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft for DARPA’s SPRINT program.
– SPRINT stands for Speed and Range Independent Technologies and aims to develop an experimental VTOL aircraft that can fly much faster than current VTOL aircraft like the V-22 Osprey.
– Aurora’s design features a blended wing body design with three embedded tiltrotor engines to allow for hover and transition to wingborne flight. It aims for a cruise speed of 450 knots.
– DARPA has awarded Aurora an additional $25 million contract to advance the design to the preliminary design phase over the next year, with the goal of a first flight within 3 years.
– Aurora’s design is unmanned, but could potentially be adapted to carry a crew. It is competing against designs from Bell, Northrop Grumman and Piasecki for DARPA’s SPRINT program.
– If successful in meeting SPRINT goals, Aurora’s aircraft could enable new mission profiles for advanced air mobility and special operations.
Source: Defense News
