Maverick orbs are a new breed of compact, circular-planform, hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft capable of high-speed, omni-directional, long-range, long-endurance flight and unmatched maneuverability. Simply put, Maverick orbs are revolutionary eVTOL aircraft that can fly and maneuver like no other aircraft. Enabled by active flow control technologies and an innovative flight propulsion, stability and control system with no moving parts, Maverick orbs offer superior capabilities for military missions and reliable air mobility solutions for commercial applications. Developed collaboratively by Flight Transformation Technologies Corporation (FlightX) and The University of Texas at Austin (UT), Maverick orbs are currently at Technology Readiness Level of 3. This proposal describes the technology, commercialization strategy, and the Phase I work plan. Leveraging the existing proof-of-concept prototype (Alpha) and the existing flight simulation and control software, FlightX and UT plan to demonstrate the technical feasibility of Maverick orbs in a series of low-speed flight tests conducted at UT Center for Autonomous Air Mobility (UT-CAAM).
