Baldwin Mono Tiltrotor The Baldwin Mono Tiltrotor project is a research effort into a tiltrotor aircraft that uses only one rotor . Like other tiltrotor configurations , the mono tiltrotor combines the vertical lift capability and structural efficiency of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed - wing aircraft . Development . Work on the Mono Tiltrotor ( MTR ) was initiated in 2004 . A concept study was performed under an Office of Naval Research contract and this study concluded that the MTR , if technically realizable , would be half the size and one - third the weight of legacy helicopter concepts for a mission . In 2005 and 2006 , design of the 9400 pound gross weight MTR Scaled Demonstrator ( MTR - SD ) was performed under a United States Army contract . This work included the following tasks : engine selection ; transmission design ; hub , controls , and blade preliminary design ; comprehensive performance and aeroelastic analysis ; analysis of critical stress concentration s ; conceptual design of the fixed wing and cargo pod ; wind tunnel testing of wing deployment ; and longitudinal static stability analysis from hover through cruise . This work resulted in a definition of each component ' s and each subassembly ' s weight , moments of inertia , location on the aircraft , and aerodynamic drag . The predicted range and speed were derived from this aircraft design data . In 2007 and 2008 , demonstrations and validations of the MTR - SD design were performed under an Army contract . The three unprecedented hardware mechanisms of the MTR were demonstrated in small scale flight tests : 1 ) the aerodynamically deployed wing panels ; 2 ) the pitch axis suspended cargo pod ; and 3 ) the tilting centerline rotor . Furthermore , a diameter rotor remote control MTR Functional Demonstrator ( MTR - FD ) that integrates these three features was designed , built , and hover tested . Bell Helicopter Textron used proprietary methods for advanced concept design and analysis to validate the rotor MTR - SD design . Bell Helicopter ' s assessment resulted in validations of the MTR - SD vertical lift capacity , engine power required and power available , cruise thrust and propulsive efficiency , aircraft weight , and airplane mode cruise lift . Bell Helicopter also generated and reported MTR - SD flight dynamics data . A computational fluid dynamics drag assessment was performed , and in combination with the Bell Helicopter assessment this validated MTR - SD projected drag and aircraft cruise range performance . In early 2009 , a Concept of Operations ( CONOPS ) video was produced showing the MTR - SD performing the missions specified in the United States Marine Corps - Cargo Unmanned Aircraft System - Universal Need Statement ( USMC Cargo UAS UNS ) and in the Office of Naval Research – Cargo Unmanned Aircraft System – Request for Information ( ONR Cargo UAS RFI ) . In early 2010 , under a multi - year contract with the Office of Naval Research ( ONR ) , the CONOPs and aircraft design were refined for Navy shipboard compatibility . On October 2 , 2010 , the first full conversion between helicopter and airplane modes of flight was achieved using a revised Mono Tiltrotor - Functional Demonstrator ( MTR - FD ) , 4 foot diameter , small - scale remote control model .