High Speed VTOL (vertical takeoff/landing) Aircraft at 10X the efficiency ("10X") and half the cost of the V22 !

Let's put that in perspective:

• The USSOCOM target and typical proposed AFWERX Challenge solutions are 2X or less, with costs more than the V22 (that is because typical solutions are incremental changes on methods known for decades). 
• A 4X solution would have an efficiency greater than contemporary fixed wing aircraft, and could dominate transit if capacity and costs were reasonable. 
• The 10X solution of this project fully enables electrical power for all applications because:  (a)  10X implicitly includes low drag which makes electrical power sufficient for high speed and (b) the high efficiency enables range from batteries (or fuel cells) sufficient for most applications (also, direct solar cell augmentation or umbilical power from a solar power station aircraft would extend range indefinitely). 

With electrical power comes reduced costs, increased reliability, and fuel versatility (including 100% renewable).  The implications are immense and are a gamechanger in military capabilities, transit, and the value of much of the world’s infrastructure (e.g. highways, railway lines, airports).    ----    The following slideshow is an introduction to Transformer Drone and SP-Drone.

​Transformer Drone, a VTOL with 300% to 1000% increase in efficiency over a helicopter.
 How is this possible?

1. Poor performance of Competition - Helicopters and other contemporary aircraft have poor efficiency (low hurdle).
2. Fundamentally different approach - a front or rear tiltwing aligns with the fuselage to form a highly effective lifting body aircraft, forming cruising configurations similar to the Best Contemplated next-generation airliners.
3. LEAPFROG - Correction!  The transformations will be to cruising configurations that EXCEED the performances of the Best Contemplated next-generation airliners, as is possible with thinner more-streamlined drone aircraft.

SP-Drone, a 24/7 solar aircraft platform that enables 100% solar power for essentially all air transit.
How is this possible?

• Poor performance of competition - The competition are using light-weight wings that are weak and slow.
• Fundamentally different approach - Aerial Towed Platforms are lifting body approaches that are robust and fast, but they must be used under very specific conditions to achieve these high performances.
• Higher Velocity - The Towed Platform's drag actually decreases with increasing velocity, which is an unusual and enabling characteristic.

Battery Weight Issues?
Demonstrated solutions to battery weight issues for aircraft include:  1) storing potential energy in altitude during the day and 2) flying during daylight.  SP-Drone will operate at L:D that are 2X to 6X more efficient than contemporary 24/7 aircraft; this translates to major increases in payload capacity; and that payload can be additional power stored in batteries, hydrogen, or ammonia. SP-Drones ultra-high flight efficiency goes a long ways toward overcoming issues with battery/fuel weight.
The most challenging solutions include flights absent daylight and overnight flights.  Many overnight flights (less than 12 hours of night) against at higher speeds and against Earth's rotation can be solved with the just-described battery, hydrogen, ammonia, and/or ambilical power. As a final resort, SP-drone aircraft are based on inexpensive construction methods (sheet stock glued together); and so, it is acceptable for the aircraft to spend less time operating between the hours of 12:00 and 5:00 AM.  Also, a little contemporary fuel can go a long ways as stop gap for night flight.  The bottom line is that proven methods provide market entry positions from which operational logistics and technical solutions will evolve.

Summary of Slides

Three aircraft platform innovations have significantly advanced what is possible in air transit.

​Transformer Drone is a simple approach to transition from Vertical Takeoff and Landing ("VTOL") to the best known cruising configurations, it offers a >300% increase in efficiency for VTOL aircraft.

Towed Platform  technology can be used for parcel and freight transit for a >100 increase in efficiency versus jet airliners. 

SP-Drone is a solar platform aircraft that uses thin Towed Platforms to achieve >500% increases in L:D versus contemporary aircraft.  Applications include 24/7 solar-powered flight that sets new standards in what is possible with faster and more-robust solar aircraft.

Transformer drone technology, see Transformer.
SP-Drone is redefining what is possible in your lifetime, see SP-Drone.
Read up on the details in the patent portfolio.
Immerse yourself in the proof of concept papers.
Study the prototypes and proofs.

Path of Innovation

Transformer Drone, Towed Aerial Platforms, and SP-Drone are products of an innovation path that includes a starting point in the innovation and additional patent-pending products to expand the capabilities of Transformer Drone, Towed Aerial Platforms, and SP-Drone.

​See Innovation Path for details on the path of innovation.