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DARPA selects Bell Textron for innovative runway-less drone aircraft project

Bell Textron secures competition to design a shift-shift rotorcraft for DARPA, capable of transitioning into a jet aircraft for unhindered no-runway operations.

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DARPA Chooses Bell Textron for Development of a Runway-free Drone Prototype
DARPA Chooses Bell Textron for Development of a Runway-free Drone Prototype

DARPA selects Bell Textron for innovative runway-less drone aircraft project

In a groundbreaking development, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has embarked on a mission to create an experimental X-plane drone as part of its Speed and Runway-Independent Technologies (SPRINT) project. This innovative drone, capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) on unprepared surfaces, is designed to achieve high cruise speeds between 400 and 450 knots (460 to 517 mph or 740 to 833 km/h).

The goal of the SPRINT project is to combine the vertical landing capabilities of helicopters and VTOL drones with much faster forward flight speeds, enabling rapid deployment and extraction in contested or austere environments where traditional runways are unavailable. This platform would support special operations and align with the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment doctrine emphasizing force dispersion and runway independence.

In late 2023, DARPA initiated the program with multiple competitors, including Bell Textron, Aurora Flight Sciences (a Boeing subsidiary), Northrop Grumman, and Piasecki Aircraft Corporation. Through Phase 1A and 1B, the field was narrowed down, and in mid-2025, Bell Textron was selected as the sole contractor to advance into Phase 2.

Bell's design features innovative technologies such as folding rotors integrated with a propulsion system that allow both efficient VTOL and high-speed forward flight. The company has already conducted significant risk reduction activities, including rotor folding demonstrations, integrated propulsion testing, flight control technology trials at Holloman Air Force Base, and wind tunnel tests at Wichita State University.

Phase 2 of the SPRINT program will cover the completion of the design, fabrication, ground-testing, and certification of the X-plane demonstrator. The program expects to complete the demonstrator by 2027, with flight testing anticipated to start in 2028.

The winning drone design will be named the X-Plane and will demonstrate its capabilities for special operations forces. Aurora is proud of the advancements made through SPRINT and believes fan-in-wing technology will be applicable to future high-speed vertical lift platforms.

It's important to note that not all DARPA programs lead to a military application, according to Rob McHenry, deputy director of DARPA. The specific opportunities for such an aircraft are still developing, according to Aurora.

Bell has a history of developing high-speed vertical lift technology, including the X-14, X-22, XV-3, XV-15 for NASA, the U.S. Army, and U.S. Air Force. As the SPRINT project progresses, it represents a significant advancement in combining the speed of fixed-wing aircraft with VTOL capability, aiming to fill a critical gap in operational flexibility for future military drones and aircraft.

References: [1] DARPA. (2023). SPRINT. Retrieved from https://www.darpa.mil/program/sprint [2] Bell Textron. (2025). Bell Awarded SPRINT Contract. Retrieved from https://www.belltextron.com/news/bell-awarded-sprint-contract [3] Wichita State University. (2025). WSU Partners with Bell Textron on SPRINT Project. Retrieved from https://www.wichita.edu/news/2025/07/01/wichita-state-university-partners-with-bell-textron-on-sprint-project [4] Air Force Magazine. (2025). Air Force Eyes Vertical Takeoff and Landing Aircraft for Future Combat. Retrieved from https://www.airforcemag.com/air-force-eyes-vertical-takeoff-and-landing-aircraft-for-future-combat/

  1. The SPRINT project, led by DARPA, aims to create an experimental X-plane drone, combining the vertical landing capabilities of helicopters and VTOL drones with high cruise speeds, for use in contested or austere environments.
  2. Bell Textron, one of the competitors in the SPRINT project, is designing an X-plane drone with folding rotors and propulsion system for efficient VTOL and high-speed forward flight.
  3. DARPA selected Bell Textron as the sole contractor for Phase 2 of the SPRINT program, which covers the completion of the design, fabrication, ground-testing, and certification of the X-plane demonstrator.
  4. The goal of the SPRINT project aligns with the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment doctrine, emphasizing force dispersion and runway independence, and supports special operations.
  5. The aerospace industry, with players like Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences and Northrop Grumman, is actively involved in the SPRINT project, believing advancements made will be applicable to future high-speed vertical lift platforms.
  6. The SPRINT project represents a significant advancement in aerospace technology, aiming to fill a critical gap in operational flexibility for future military drones and aircraft by combining the speed of fixed-wing aircraft with VTOL capability.

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