Darpa Sets Goals For Morphing-Rotor Demo

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?channel=awst&id=news/awst/2010/06/07/AW_06_07_2010_p24-231440.xml

Boeing, Sikorsky and the Bell Boeing tiltrotor team have received 16-month Phase 1 contracts to assess a wide range of adaptive rotor technologies and develop designs for both a clean-sheet “objective” rotor system and a demonstrator rotor that can fly on an existing aircraft.

“Adaptation of all blade attributes are on the table: twist, airfoil, chord, sjpegness, rpm., etc.,” says Daniel Newman, Darpa’s MAR program manager. “There are many technologies available. It’s not just any one, it’s about developing multiple adaptive technologies that complement each other.”


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The goal of MAR is a rotor that can change its configuration before a mission and in flight, between mission segments and with every revolution. “Adaptation for rotorcraft is a huge opportunity because the blades see a wide range of flight conditions,” says Newman. “They can adapt between mission segments and also around the rotor azimuth.”