A new aircraft species has emerged with the creation of a drone called ROTORwing! It was designed by US aerospace company DZYNE Technologies with the intention of optimizing both hovering and forward flight. What is special about ROTORwing is that it uses the whole wing as a highly efficient rotor that does not compromise forward flight performance characteristics when transitioned to fixed-wing mode.
Other types of VTOLs (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) have both fixed wings and copter-style horizontal propellors. The ROTORwing however just has a top-mounted set of wings that are able to rotate horizontally as one connected unit. And thanks to its advanced vertical takeoff and landing (AVTOL) technology, ROTORwing can operate from anywhere aircraft are permitted, no runway required. The transition process from hover to forward flight, as well as forward flight back to hover, only takes a few seconds with minimal altitude drop, according to DZYNE.
How It Works
ROTORwing has two wings with a propellor motor attached to each. For takeoff, one of the wings faces forward and the other faces backward (in the opposite direction). Like this, the motor propels the wings to spin like a rotor when power is applied.
Since the rotor is propelled directly by these motors on the wings there is no need for heavy and complex gearboxes, swashplates, and high-power tail rotors which makes the aircraft more efficient. Once the rotor reaches the appropriate RPM it can take off or hover in this position.
Because there is no torque reaction to the fuselage, there is no need for a large tail-rotor to cancel out engine torque like a normal helicopter. There is still a small tail-rotor though for aircraft fuselage pointing.
Once the aircraft has reached a safe altitude, the wings tilt upwards and the rotor stops spinning. Then both wings tilt so the motors face forwards allowing ROTORwing to fly like a conventional fixed-wing airplane.
To execute a vertical landing, the process is simply reversed.
Detachable Cargo Pod
The drone is equipped with a detachable cargo pod that is capable of carrying various payloads and is easily removed to optimize ROTORwing for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR)-based mission profiles; and because of its efficient design, it can carry these sensors and payloads as far as conventional fixed-wing aircraft.
Since the ROTORwing utilizes smaller motors and props it consumes less power and creates less drag. Furthermore, the wide wingspan is better for forward flight, while the one large set of rotor blades produces lift more efficiently than the multiple smaller props. All of this also enables the drone to lift heavier payloads, without using more power.
The ROTORwing drone could be used for delivery of organs, medication or blood; it could have military applications; among other things. The first version, set to be commercially available early next year – will weigh 20 lb (9 kg), be capable of lifting and carrying payloads of at least 7 lb (3 kg), and have the ability to fly for up to four hours per charge of its battery pack. ROTORwing technology is scalable from the current lightweight Group 1 to much larger Group 5 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) so they may have even larger drones available soon after.
