Boeing recently released this video of a scale flying prototype of its Phantom Swift proposal for a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) X-plane project. In response to a broad agency announcement from the agency seeking proposals for a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft that can hover, carry a large useful load, and cruise at 300-400 knots, Boeing Phantom Works designed and built the flying subscale model of the Phantom Swift as part of its proposal. The scale model flying prototype was completed in less than a month. “A picture is worth a thousand words, a flying model is worth a million words, said said Perry Ziegenbein, Phantom Swift’s chief engineer.

The first, 22-month phase of the DARPA X-Plane program is expected to begin in the next few months, with a follow up phase two contract to follow for an aircraft to be built and flown.