DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, said last week it will develop a new X-Plane to pursue “radical improvements” in aircraft that can take off and land vertically, then shift to horizontal flight mode and reach speeds up to 400 knots. “The design envisions an aircraft that could fly fast and far, hover when needed, and accomplish diverse missions without the need for prepared landing areas,” DARPA said. The autonomous aircraft will be developed by Aurora Flight Sciences, based in Manassas, Virginia. First flight tests are projected for 2018.
Source: avwebDARPA To Develop VTOL X-Plane