NEW DARPA VTOL X-Prize

[fightingirish]

DARPA cancels XV-24A LightningStrike eVTOL X-plane programme.

DARPA has made a decision not to proceed to Phase 3 of the Aurora Flight Sciences’ XV-24A LightingStrike hybrid-electric, high-speed vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) X-plane, Aviation Week reports.
The research agency cites the lack of a service partner and commercial interest as reasons for the termination.
Aviation Week added that there were issues developing the 1-megawatt generator need for the aircraft as well.

Sources:
http://www.janes.com/article/79581/darpa-cancels-lightningstrike-evtol-x-plane-programme
http://aviationweek.com/future-aerospace/darpa-pulls-plug-aurora-s-hybrid-electric-vtol-x-plane
http://alert5.com/2018/04/26/xv-24a-program-canceled/

 

[jsport]

DARPA cancels XV-24A LightningStrike eVTOL X-plane programme.

DARPA has made a decision not to proceed to Phase 3 of the Aurora Flight Sciences’ XV-24A LightingStrike hybrid-electric, high-speed vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) X-plane, Aviation Week reports.
The research agency cites the lack of a service partner and commercial interest as reasons for the termination.
Aviation Week added that there were issues developing the 1-megawatt generator need for the aircraft as well.

Sources:
http://www.janes.com/article/79581/darpa-cancels-lightningstrike-evtol-x-plane-programme
http://aviationweek.com/future-aerospace/darpa-pulls-plug-aurora-s-hybrid-electric-vtol-x-plane
http://alert5.com/2018/04/26/xv-24a-program-canceled/

That craft had no practical aspect for military use ever. The VTOL wheel of shame remains supreme. No innovation coming from the majors period.

 

[VTOLicious]

DARPA cancels XV-24A LightningStrike eVTOL X-plane programme.

#sad :-\

I didn't particularly favor the Lightning Strike design, but I would have loved to see a full scale prototype evolve from this program.

 

[TomS]

DARPA cancels XV-24A LightningStrike eVTOL X-plane programme.

#sad :-\

I didn't particularly favor the Lightning Strike design, but I would have loved to see a full scale prototype evolve from this program.

Sounds like Aurora are still going to push forward as a commercial venture. Hopefully they can find the funding.

Not a huge shcoch that they would ahve trouble cooling a 1-MW generator. Packaging a generator that size into a small aircraft can't be easy.

 

[sferrin]

DARPA cancels XV-24A LightningStrike eVTOL X-plane programme.

#sad :-\

I didn't particularly favor the Lightning Strike design, but I would have loved to see a full scale prototype evolve from this program.

So many cancelled designs.

Heh. Apparently Groen Brothers, under another name, is still trying to market the Heliplane.

http://mungocreativegroup.com/skyworks1/

 

[ouroboros]

DARPA cancels XV-24A LightningStrike eVTOL X-plane programme.

DARPA has made a decision not to proceed to Phase 3 of the Aurora Flight Sciences’ XV-24A LightingStrike hybrid-electric, high-speed vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) X-plane, Aviation Week reports.
The research agency cites the lack of a service partner and commercial interest as reasons for the termination.
Aviation Week added that there were issues developing the 1-megawatt generator need for the aircraft as well.

Sources:
http://www.janes.com/article/79581/darpa-cancels-lightningstrike-evtol-x-plane-programme
http://aviationweek.com/future-aerospace/darpa-pulls-plug-aurora-s-hybrid-electric-vtol-x-plane
http://alert5.com/2018/04/26/xv-24a-program-canceled/

You'd think the air force would would love to sponsor a compact 1MW turboshaft generator., as the APU of doom but..

That and Launchpoint has partnered with Uber on their electric VTOL, so those very high performance motors will become COTs, and their motors also work decently as generators so...

 

[Avimimus]

Given the emphasis on DEWs for missile defence in future projects you'd think that it'd be planned anyway...? Maybe it is actually in Black Box development and they don't want to duplicate efforts for a relatively draggy airframe that has fairly well known properties?

 

[VTOLicious]

DARPA cancels XV-24A LightningStrike eVTOL X-plane programme.

DARPA has made a decision not to proceed to Phase 3 of the Aurora Flight Sciences’ XV-24A LightingStrike hybrid-electric, high-speed vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) X-plane, Aviation Week reports.
The research agency cites the lack of a service partner and commercial interest as reasons for the termination.
Aviation Week added that there were issues developing the 1-megawatt generator need for the aircraft as well.

Sources:

Janes | Latest defence and security news

Janes | The latest defence and security news from Janes - the trusted source for defence intelligence

www.janes.com

Darpa Pulls Plug On Aurora’s Hybrid-Electric VTOL X-Plane | Aviation Week Network

The agency cites growing commercial interest and the lack of a service partner with which to transition the technology to a program.

aviationweek.com

XV-24A program canceled – Alert 5

alert5.com

2023, another attempt...

DARPA To Launch High-Speed, No-Runway Aircraft Program
https://www.defenseone.com/technolo...program-high-speed-no-runway-aircraft/383491/

 

[jsport]

From the beginning ..never understood how any self respecting engineer would have ever agreed to work on that Rube Goldberg Machine --Aurora evtol.

 

[Reaper]

@jsport on what would you work on?

 

[jsport]

@jsport on what would you work on?

The Groen Brothers were never given a chance from the little I know, for instance. infinite numbers of fans to add weight and complexity etc. was never viable and stated as much as soon as there was the first press release. The tail setting DARPA TERN was equally absurd. It sure appears that congressional/government capture is still pervasive. AV & GA & now Kratos come to mind...positively anti-capitalist. the old adage ''no one ever got fired for hiring IBM" continues to stifle innovation to great detriment. FTUAS is yet another zoo of toy garbage due to capture or unwillingness to pay for risk.