Piasecki Aircraft's Ares tilt-duct VTOL demonstrator completed tethered hover flights for DARPA's TX Transformer initiative.

Piasecki Aircraft has completed tethered hover flights of its Ares tilt-duct VTOL demonstrator, a project developed over a decade for DARPA's TX Transformer initiative. The Ares, powered by Honeywell engines, aims to provide versatile airborne capabilities for military operations. Despite earlier funding challenges, it received a $37 million contract from the U.S. Air Force and Army to advance its development, including autonomous flight features for cargo and casualty evacuation missions.

September 10, 2024
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