They are already here: drones that take off and land vertically, but once taken off switch to the faster and more efficient way of flying with a fixed wing.
Working with students at Cranfield University, engineers from UK-based BAE Systems took this idea further. They developed a single-wing concept and christened it Adaptable UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles).
For now, deployment by armed forces in particular is being targeted. In doing so, the drone flies with both motor/propeller units driving the wing in forward mode. When landing and taking off, one of the units rotates half a turn. This turns the UAV into a rotating wing that can move vertically up or down in its entirety.
In the middle of the drone is one large hole. This can be used during take-off and landing where several drones gather on a mast that fits exactly in the centre of the drone. This mast is gyroscopically stabilised so that it is always stable and upright, even on ships in rough seas or on moving vehicles on land.
How the technology is expected to work, the video below shows.
