[onedoug]

Looks like its being supported by a sling.

Seems a huge waste of taxpayer money, IMHO.

[Moonman62]

Seems a huge waste of taxpayer money, IMHO.

...

That’s my bet, too.

[justlurking]

Looks like its being supported by a sling.

In that picture, it is. But, if you follow the link to the article, you'll find an video showing:

1. vertical takeoff
2. transition to horizontal flight
3. transition back to vertical flight
4. vertical landing

Seems a huge waste of taxpayer money, IMHO.

This is the third prototype, larger than the first two. The important part is that it is scalable: just add more engines to generate more lift.

There are a lot of practical uses for this, especially because it can transition to horizontal flight and use much less power per mile. Of course, it will need a new control system.

The cool part is that it demonstrates the concept is much easier to accomplish, without all the complex mechanicals required for the V-22 Osprey.