VIDEO: Advanced Tactics' VTOL Transformer in Flight

Advanced Tactics has released video of the first brief hover flights in April of its Black Knight Transformer - a prototype fly/drive vehicle that scales up the popular multicopter VTOL UAV configuration to a full-size aircraft designed for cargo resupply and casualty evacuation.

Video: Advanced Tactics

The Black Knight is a 4,000lb vehicle that can be flown manned or unmanned and also driven on and off road. The aircraft has eight piston aero-engines each driving two-blade fixed-pitch props for vertical flight and a Volkswagen engine driving the rear wheels for road use.

Advanced Tactics says the technology demonstrator has been built for less than $2 million within the timeline originally envisioned for DARPA's Transformer flying-jeep program, which has been restructured into a flight demonstration of a ducted-fan cargo UAV.

The company says it is now developing an autonomous modular version of the AT Transformer capable of delivering up to 3,500lb of payload in a detachable cargo pod at up to 200kt, or of hovering for more than 10 hours carrying a 150lb ISR payload.