The ANCILLARY initiative aims to revolutionize vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones, eliminating the need for specialized tools for launch and retrieval. Tasked with developing a hybrid aircraft combining helicopter-like capabilities with airplane-style flight, nine selected companies, including AeroVironment and Northrop Grumman, are poised to introduce innovative designs.
Among these, Sikorsky’s groundbreaking concept, a tail-sitting rotor-blown wing VTOL unmanned aircraft system, stands out for its unconventional approach. Combining elements of rotorcraft and fixed-wing aircraft, this design promises enhanced performance and versatility for a myriad of missions.
Featuring a rotor-blown wing configuration, Sikorsky’s prototype transitions seamlessly from vertical to horizontal flight, leveraging its proprotors for efficient propulsion. Equipped with the Matrix autonomous system, originally deployed in military helicopters, the drone boasts advanced collision avoidance capabilities, ensuring safe and precise operation.
As Sikorsky continues prototype testing, ANCILLARY anticipates leveraging such innovations to develop long-endurance drones for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. With scalability and adaptability at the forefront, ANCILLARY heralds a new era of aerial technology poised to redefine the boundaries of unmanned flight.