DARPA’s VTOL Experimental Plane (VTOL X-Plane) program has selected Aurora Flight Sciences for Phase 2.
The company’s unique design has 24 ducted fans integrated into two large rear wings and two smaller front canards.
Both the wings and the canards would rotate to direct fan thrust as needed: rearward for forward flight, downward for hovering and at angles during transition between the two, DARPA said in a statement.