Powerplant development for a miniature tilt-body UAV having long endurance and VTOL capability

We envision a class of miniature robotic aircraft dubbed Flexrotors which offer range, endurance, and economy at levels associated with wing-borne flight, together with capability for hover and VTOL. Such aircraft would use low-disc-loading rotors which must operate efficiently from zero advance ratio in thrust-borne flight, with rotor axis vertical, to high advance ratio in wing-borne cruise, with rotor axis horizontal. As Phase I completed we flew our first prototype in hover. Phase II would develop the rotor and powerplant necessary for demonstration of the full flight envelope, including endurance well over 24 hr.