Sikorsky Cypher
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The Sikorsky Cypher and Cypher II are types of unmanned aerial vehicles developed by Sikorsky Aircraft. They are vertical takeoff and landing aircraft which use two opposing rotors enclosed in a circular shroud for propulsion.
Design and development
Cypher
Sikorsky began work on the Cypher in the late 1980s as a small unmanned aerial vehicle with coaxial rotors enclosed within a torus-shaped shroud. The circular duct improved handling safety and added lift. The first proof-of-concept aircraft measured Script error: No such module "convert". in diameter and Script error: No such module "convert". in height, weighed Script error: No such module "convert"., and flew in the summer of 1988 powered by a four-stroke Script error: No such module "convert". engine. For early trials it was mounted on a truck to conduct forward-flight tests.
A larger prototype followed, with a diameter of Script error: No such module "convert"., weight of Script error: No such module "convert"., and a Script error: No such module "convert". Wankel engine. It achieved its first flight in April 1992 and its first free flight in 1993. Over the remainder of the decade the vehicle accumulated more than 550 demonstration flights for U.S. government agencies.
The Cypher could carry a sensor payload mounted above the fuselage or transport external loads of up to Script error: No such module "convert".. The program provided the basis for the follow-on Cypher II, which was submitted to the United States Navy’s VT-UAV competition.
Cypher II
Sikorsky developed the Cypher II as an enlarged derivative of the original design. Two prototypes were constructed for evaluation by the United States Marine Corps, which designated the type Dragon Warrior. Externally similar in diameter to the first Cypher, the Cypher II incorporated a rear-mounted pusher propeller to improve forward thrust. It could also be fitted with detachable wings to extend endurance
Specifications (Cypher)
See also
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References
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This article contains material that originally came from the web article Unmanned Aerial VehiclesTemplate:Category handler[<span title="Script error: No such module "string".">usurped]Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". by Greg Goebel, which exists in the Public Domain.
External links
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