Wingless Vertical Take-off Aircraft Aerodyne
Experimental study of the Aerodyne principle on behalf of the Federal German Ministry of Defence. According to A.M. Lippisch, an Aerodyne is a wingless, unmanned vertical take-off aircraft. Testing of the Aerodyne E1 experimental unit was completed successfully on 30 November 1972. An Aerodyne combines lift and propulsion generation in a single structural unit, the inner flow channel, which is an annular wing with a fan.
Without any change in its configuration, the Aerodyne is capable of stable flight through the full range from hover to maximum speed. Air is deflected by flaps at the end of the flow channel in order to supply the necessary lift and thrust. The performance in Flight is between that of an helicopter and that of a conventionl aircraft. Aerodyne will reach good flying performance both in fast flight and in hover. In forward flight, pitch and yaw control is by means of the control surfaces of a conventional tail unit at the end of the tail boom.
Application: unmanned reconnaissance flight - land and ship-based. The craft is remotely radio-controlled. First flight: 18 september 1972.
Technical data
Aerodyne
| Power Plant | MTU 6022 A-3 with 271 kW |
Weight
| All-up weight | 435 kg |
Dimensions
| Lenght | 5.50 m |
| Width | 1.90 m |
| Fan diameter | 1.90 m |
