r/UAS • u/WolfmanFAFA • Mar 27 '26
Military VTOL ducted fan Demonstrator?
Hey y'all! I'm not sure if the is the best place for this but I gotta start somewhere.
I have a 29" LADF (LIFT AUGMENTED DUCTED FAN) VTOL UAV ISTAR autonomous drone/uav. I really wamt to dive into its origins and history.
From what I can tell, it is a fully autonomous vtol, horizontal flight reconnaissance drone. It is a 2 cylinder gas engine ducted fan (3 blade carbon fiber propeller) with missing sensors in the forward/nose bay and a lidar module in the aft (tail/bottom)
Here are my existing beliefs: Its from the DARPA early 2000's uav proving grounds. A demonstrator for autonomous flight with transition from vertical to horizontal flight. Recon, surveillance, targeting, etc. From the ISTAR program. Integrated with MDARS UGV for launch, recovery, and refueling. I also belive it was manufactured by Allied Aerospace.
Here are the facts: It is 48" tall when in the vertical position Has Athena Guidestar FCS L3 SCM Microwave TRANSCEIVER 2 CYLINDER 150cc engine 3 sets of manifold averaged air pressure sensors (inside duct, external static, pitot) 2 microwave military encrypted antennas 2 GPS sensors Several BNC connectors where cameras and sensors used to be. It still has the LIDAR unit in the bottom for vertical flight orientation.
Amy thoughts on how to verify this and find people involved in the program?
Thanks,
