Background: Boeing Phantom Works' Dragonfly VTOL UAV is being developed to demonstrate the canard rotor wing (CRW) concept, in which, after lifting the vehicle vertically, the rotor stops and is locked into place as a wing during cruise, then transitions back to rotor operation for landing. Engine exhaust is ducted normally as well as out the rotor tips. DARPA is jointly funding this concept under a 3 year, $24 million contract begun in 1998, although the Phantom Works has been refining the concept since 1990. On 04 December 2003 the Boeing Company's Canard Rotor/Wing (CRW) concept known as the X-50A Dragonfly flew for about 80 seconds at 8:10 am MST.
Characteristics:
| Length, ft | 17.7 | Wing Span, ft | 8.5 (12 rotor span) |
| Gross Weight, lbs | 1300 | Payload Weight, lbs | |
| Fuel Capacity, lbs | Fuel Type | ||
| Engine Make | Williams F-112 TF | Power, hp | |
| Structure | |||
| Guidance | Navigation | ||
| Data Link(s) | Data Rate(s) | ||
| Endurance, hrs | Radius, nm | ||
| Max Speed, kts | Stall Speed, kts | ||
| Altitude, ft | |||
| Takeoff Means | Vertical | ||
| Navigation | Preprogrammed
(points)/ autonomous/direct control |
||
| Landing Means | Vertical | ||
Sensor(s):