We’re excited to announce that VOX Aircraft was selected to move forward in the AFWERX High Speed Vertical Take Off and Landing Aircraft (HSVTOL) Challenge, with partners Raytheon-RTX and Pratt & Whitney.
Apparently another electrically propelled VTOL aircraft with a range-extending onboard generator, the Vox UAV uses a lift-and-cruise design with four multicopter-like rotors for lift, and a pusher prop for cruise. The lift rotors are enclosed in “wing strakes” to keep the risk of rotor strike to a minimum.
The company says this UAV, starting at 400 lb (181 kg), can significantly outperform a similarly-sized rotorcraft such as the MQ-8B Fire Scout. On the same fuel load, it’ll give you some four times the effective range, it’ll carry twice the payload, it’s got a much higher service ceiling, and crucially in this context it’s three times faster, with a max cruise speed of 300 knots (345 mph, 555 km/h).
Along with our partners Raytheon-RTX and Pratt & Whitney, we patiently await the selection to see what the future may hold! Click here to read the full article.
https://newatlas.com/aircraft/afwerx-high-speed-vtol-challenge-showcase/