DiscRotor Compound Helicopter
Abstract
The goal of the DiscRotor program is to design and demonstrate the enabling technologies required to develop a new type of compound helicopter capable of high-efficiency hover and high-efficiency, high-speed flight, with stable, continuous and reversible transition between these flight states. The aircraft concept features a mid-fuselage disc with extendable rotor blades, and an aft swept wing. With the rotor blades extended and the disc rotating, the aircraft can operate like a helicopter with vertical take-off, efficient hover, controllable low speed flight and vertical landing. With the blades retracted, the aircraft is capable of efficient wing-borne cruise at speeds exceeding any existing rotorcraft, 2-3 times that of a conventional helicopter. Transition from helicopter mode to fixed-wing flight is achieved by fully retracting the blades within the disc. An aircraft capable of long range (400 nm), high speed (350-400 kts) and vertical take-off and landing /hover will provide new capabilities to the warfighter, bridging the gap between helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft by providing improved survivability, mobility, and responsiveness for troop and cargo insertion, combat search and rescue, armed escort, and other critical missions. The DiscRotor enabling technologies are: extendable/retractable telescoping rotor blades, counter torque control, high-efficiency ducted propellers, and an integrated propulsion system. Specific objectives of the DiscRotor program include: demonstrating the feasibility of safely and repeatedly retracting/extending the blades into the disc in forward flight, characterizing the flowfield environment created by a disc-rotor, demonstrating disc-rotor enabling technologies, and designing and wind tunnel testing a retractable rotor demonstrator. Potential transition partners include the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, and SOCOM.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2012
- Source ID
- 83dba3680c61a415fee8ebb9197b530b