Meet - VC200 Volocopter, personal flying transport of the future. Lilium Jet - Flying Personal Transport Future All Flying Transports

Sci-fi works and films often tell us that in the future, humanity will abandon wheeled vehicles and will switch to flying cars. But time is going, and the airspace dissect only aircraft da helicopters. So when will the flying machines appear?

Features of this type of transport

Ideally, the flying car compact and does not need special conditions for the takeoff. That is, it can simply be stored in the garage and take off directly from there. But the most important thing is that such a type of transport must be an accessible middle population..

As a rule, most concepts of automobiles of the future imply the possibility of movement in both air and ground. The control of the flying machine must be extremely simple and intuitive.

Do not forget that we are talking about future technologies when they should appear new types of fuel and energy. Therefore, refueling or recharging a flying machine should not do a penny. Yes, and the level of environmental pollution in such a car should be minimized.

Modern developments in the direction of the "road-air" transport are underway taking into account the listed data, but the rate is made mainly that the car can at least go to the air ...

Existing models

Formally flying machines already exist in the form of experimental models. Of the few tens of prototypes, we chose the top three most promising.

TERRAFUGIA TF-X

Manufacturers are positioning their creation as the first in the world. semi-autonomous hybrid flying car, and it largely corresponds to this wording.

The advantage of this car is its possibility of vertical takeoff. Movement is possible both by air and on the ground. By the way, he cares for four passengers.

The semi-automatic system reacts to obstacles and bad weather, independently attracts landing in emergency situations, notifying your actions of air traffic controllers. In addition, TF-X is equipped with a parachute system.

Takeoff and landing will not require special skills from the driver (pilot?) - for this will be answered autopilot. Yes, and the whole flight is mainly carried out under the control of the computer, and only the user needs to specify the destination. The system calculates whether fuel and charge is enough for flight, analyze the features of the relief and weather conditions.

Interestingly, propellers that raise the car in the air operate on electric motors, and the pushing screw, which ensures the movement forward, is driven by a gas turbine. Thus, without recharging and refueling TF-X will be able to overcome more than 800 km.

Now the developers are working to solve such issues as an increase in car safety and simplifying manageability.

So far, the approximate value of Terrafugia TF-X is close to the amount of 300 thousand dollars, but manufacturers promise that after a while it will be possible to purchase the price of the premium car.

Already in 2017, the Slovak company Aeromobil is preparing for sales of flying cars of its own production.

it vehicle Adapted for comfortable ride and flights. Immediately before takeoff at the aerobial on the sides "straighten" wings. Speeches about takeoff directly from the freeway so far and can not be - for this will have to use the takeoff strip of the nearest airfield. Accordingly, and without a license of the pilot until you do.

The cabin is designed for 2 people. Orange gasoline is used as fuel.

To improve the rear qualities, the case of this car is made of specially selected composite materials. In the air Aeromobil can accelerate to 200 km / h and overcome about 700 km. In the future, it will be equipped with autopilot.

Manufacturers say that the cost of the car-aircraft will be at the level of sports car and light-engine aircraft.

But this flying car can be purchased today. Double transition in less than a minute can transform from ground vehicle in air.

The speed of which reaches the car in flight can be 185 km / h, while the flight range is 790 km. Gasoline is used as fuel.

Nevertheless, a smooth runway with a length of 500 meters is needed for a safe takeoff.

Terrafugia Transition is certified and as a means of movement on the roads common useAnd as a "light sports aircraft."

The cost of this flying car is 280 thousand dollars.

Flying car in 1946

The idea of \u200b\u200bflying cars is not Nova. Already in the mid-20th century, engineers seriously thought about the development of such a means of movement. And moreover, a model corresponding to ideas about a flying car was created. Although it was rather the plane, which was transformed into the ground vehicle.

We are talking about, and he really deserves attention. The development of amphibian was engaged in Robert Fulton in 1946. And in general, he managed to adapt the aircraft to the road.

This flying car has become the first to receive a certificate of civil aviation management of the United States.
To transform the car to the plane, it was necessary to secure the wings and tail, the propeller was attached to the fuselage.

Autonomous flying cars are designing in Hoversurf. These guys are known for their flying motorcycles Scorpion 3 Hoverbike and the sensational rollers of flights in Dubai. Now the company is preparing for the serial production of calves, collecting pre-orders: about 2,000 people have sent applications. But this is Hoversurf's firstborn, the team's potential demonstrator designed primarily for extreme pastime lovers. And today the walls of the company in Skolkovo are walked by schemes and sketches of a completely different vehicle - an unmanned flying car Hoversurf Formula, the first prototype of which should be climbed into the air in September.

Flight fans

We sit with the head of the company Alexander Atamanov in the new spacious office in Skolkovo, drink tea and conduct conversations that resemble dialogues from the popular science novels of my childhood - with the difference that there is nothing fantastic in them, although it's hard to believe in them . "We used Cherovebik rather as a platform for working out technologies and a marketing tool. Thanks to the video on YouTube, we were able to get a response to flying transport from around the world and used this feedback for our new developments.

First of all, to create a five-seater unmanned flying car Hoversurf Formula. The evolution of "Formulas" can be easily traced on the sketches that are shared along the walls of the office of Alexander.

The first sketches. The only thing remained from these sketches is the folding wings.

According to the concepts of two years ago, it can be seen that the prototype was based on a propeller quadrocopter diagram and resembled a large Scorpion 3 with a passenger cabin. But the reaction of enthusiasts from all over the world showed that propellers are a stop factor for most people. Spinning near man screws are horrified. Therefore, Alexander switched to an unparalleled scheme. Instead of screws, they decided to use blocks of electrical fans in ring fairings made using EDF technology (Electric DuCTED FAN). The main problem of the EDF fan is low efficiency. However, Atamanov managed to increase it to an indicator of a classic propeller: changed the ring fairing, cutting additional air intake slots in it. Thanks to the effect of Venturi, the efficiency rose to an acceptable level. It turned out a compact little electric propeller, which will be replaced by propellers. In the "Formula" applies 52 of the same type of EDF fan. This leads to the rise in the cost of the system, but reduces the weight and complexity of the structure, which is very important in aircraft.

Not airplanes, not helicopters

The fact that we are in the foreseeable future will move on unmanned electric flying vehicles, specialists do not doubt. Today in the world there is a huge number of developments in this area, from the garage experiments of single enthusiasts before the projects of Aerospace Monsters type Airbus. As at the dawn of automotive, now there are all sorts of forms of transport of the future. It combines them to take off the car should be vertically, since there is almost no places for landing in the city. Most developers come out of the prerequisites that in the near future on the roofs of buildings will be heliports. In principle, there is already transportation - a helicopter under this concept. But he is expensive, complicated in service and is not safe to others: the spinning blades will lie to the gazened passenger not worse than rotating Kathan.

Based on the joints of the folding wing - proven technology from deck aviation. So with reliability should be all right.

Therefore, some companies make fans upstairs and conclude them in ring fairings, such as Airbus in your POPUP project. The main problems of this scheme - big flow Energy, low speed and low wind resistance - Drone pilots know how easy it is to lose them even in a small wind. More and more designers comes to understand that the device should take off vertically - in a helicopter, and move in economical mode horizontally - by airplane. In principle, such a vehicle already has - this is a converter, for example, Bell V-22 Osprey, which first rose into the air in 1989. Despite the fairly long service life, the designers could not make a reliable apparatus - the convertoplans occupy a sad first line among the plane crash: over the past seven years, 10 cars out of 200 issued. The mechanism of rotation of the proposed movements turned out to be very complex and unreliable, and the problem with the instability of the flight at the time was not fully solved when the converteoplan goes into the aircraft mode. Nevertheless, such a scheme for flying cars includes European Airbus Vahana, American Joby Aviation S2 and German Lilium. However, the listed devices will not fly flying cars for a simple reason: they cannot use urban infrastructure and parking on existing parking lots.

All of their flying vehicles engineers Hoversurf fit into standard parking space. "Formula" uses usual for take-off and landing car parking. To compare the contours of the nearest competitors: E-VOLO, Lilium Jet. and Ehang.

Like a bird

Hoversurf initially set a difficult task: the devices should take off from the usual parking space. This restriction largely determined the architecture of "Formulas". 48 turbines cleaned in rack-fairies work only in the copter mode - on takeoff, landing and slow maneuvering in the hang mode. For a horizontal flight, a folding wing is used and only four pushing turbines. This scheme, as calculating the atamans, will achieve a range of 450 km away. Immediately there are questions with the reliability of the wing folding nodes, the more the main hinge with the electric drive works constantly: the wing is dynamic. Due to this hinge, the engineers abandoned the mechanization of the wing: they do not need an aileron, preds and flaps, you can simply change the angle of the attack of the wing, like a bird. I can see, I'm not the first who ask questions about the reliability of hinges. Firstly, the Atamans says, the load on the wing is very smaller than that of existing convertoplans: it is not necessary to rotate heavy engines, there are no complex moving joints of the fuel pipelines, there is no wing mechanization. Secondly, the wing rotary assembly is not very simple, but used already exhaust technology of deck aviation.

In print

In addition to unusual external view, "Formula" is interesting to the latest technologies. Almost all its elements will be printed by carbon-filled fiber on a special giant 3D printer, which is built specifically for this project in Skolkovo. These are real elements with the calculated loads that allow you to collect ready-made products. Similarly, 3D printers will be used to print metal parts, such as fan impeller and rotors. The external details will apply a new amazing coating - a polyurea, which allows you to make the surface very smooth and adds extra strength.

Manufacturer and Developer: Hoversurf, Russia

• Speed: up to 320 km / h
• Range: 450 km
• Capacity: 5 people
• Safety:
• 1st level - the possibility of flight at half the turbines.
• 2nd level - automatic planning.
• 3rd level - automatic parachute system.

The first test flight of the five-seater "formula" is planned in September of this year, another pair of years is laid for certification. At the same time, the company will start working on a dispatch program, which will manage drones in the sky and will allow you to completely eliminate the largest transport problem - the human factor. True, testing "Formula" will have abroad: the Russian authorities do not show the initiative to introduce personal drones. So the first countries where passenger drones will appear, Alexander Atamanov believes the UAE, Singapore and the United States. No wonder Hoverbike Atamanov, the most watched in Dubai.

Illustrations: Hoversurf.

One of the common devices in fantastic novels is a flying car. Science fiction writers represented that in the XXI century the sky will be permeated with highways, according to which there will be a bit of head, wearing vehicles. /website/

Although we are a little behind these fantasies, there are a number of companies that seriously work on the next few years to release flying cars to the market.

However, do not wait for instant transformation in the spirit of the heroes of the Jetson animated series. Most manufacturers are aimed at elite customers. Approximate prices for the first flying cars will vary from $ 250,000 to $ 500,000. Therefore, most buyers who would like to go to work should wait.

The first generation of flying cars is likely to look like this. A resident of Whites Plein in New York wants to spend the evening in Cape Code in Massachusetts. He sits in his flying car, which he has in the garage, and travels to the airport. He presses the button, the car unfolds the wings, it accelerates along the runway and takes off. After two-hour flight, it lands, turns the wings and drives around the city, as on a regular car.

Flying TRANSITION car from Terrafugia flies over yachts. Photo: Terrafugia.

As a result, it disappears the need to pay for storage in the hangar or upon arrival in the turmoil to seek where to rent a car. In addition, there are no car rental agents in small airports. The average accessible length of flight for these devices is 693 km.

"The value is that you can directly get to the destination," says Richard Gersh, responsible for business development in the American company Terrafugia.

Perhaps someone will disappoint itself the need to go to the airport. Unfortunately, most prototypes need a short running strip, and they are not intended to takeoff within the city.

The most promising models are TRANSITION American company Terrafugia and German Carplane.

Carplane rides on the highway in Germany. Photo: Carplane.

Aeromobil 3.0 in Slovakia has developed a prototype that can take off and land on the grass, which gives additional advantages. Unfortunately, on May 8, he suffered an accident during trial flight. His creator Stefan Klein was on board, he successfully landed with a parachute and was not injured, but the prototype was seriously damaged, according to SME SME SME.

Aeromobil 3.0. Photo: Aeromobil.

The Dutch model PAL-V One is an incredible hybrid of a helicopter and a three-wheeled motorcycle. Unlike the rest of the prototypes, he has a propeller instead of wings. But he also needs a short running strip. This is the safest model, because the carrier screw does not need energy. "Even if the engine refuses, you can still launch gently," the manufacturer wrote in an email.

If you do not want to go to the airport, you need a vertical takeoff and landing plane. Such a device is much more expensive and more difficult to do, because if you want to take off the porch of your home, then your flying car should not make noise like a helicopter. Otherwise, landing on the lawn in front of the house, you will create micro-damage on neighboring cars and constraint all neighbors, says John Brown, Carplane manager from Germany.

Therefore, manufacturers of this category, California Moller International, which created Skycar, and the German company Lilium Aviation, sent efforts to reduce Decybel. And they achieved a certain progress.

Moller International Skycar Flying Car. Photo: Moller International

"The noise from Lilium Jet when takeoff is comparable to the sound of the car at a speed of 80 km / h. In cruising mode, he is not heard from the ground, "wrote in the letter Sebastian Born, one of the founders of Lilium.

But, given that in some countries regulate when using the lawn mower, it is likely that local authorities will send you with this apparatus to take off on the nearest heliport. But it is still more convenient, because the heliports are usually more than airports.

Illustration of Lilium Jet ready to takeoff. Photo: Lilium Aviation

In addition to private use, there are a number of areas where you can use flying cars, including rescue work, ambulance, border service, delivery of parcels, air taxis and military goals. It can accelerate the development and implementation of flying cars.

The time has come?

Over the past 100 years, at least 2,200 flying cars have been developed, of which approximately 300 were able to successfully fly, the Carplane website said.

The first patent for the invention of the flying car was issued in Paris, in 1903 the first flight (very short) was carried out by Glen Kertis on its auto plane in 1919.

Many of the early models were actually successful in terms of engineering, but they were not destined to take off due to lack of funding.

In 1948, CONVAIR 118 - a family sedan with attached details from the aircraft - crashed when the pilot experiencing his pilot had looked at the testimony of a car gasometer, not aircraft. As a result, halfway it ended with aviation fuel. The pilot was safely survived the emergency landing, but CONVAIR 118 - no. The second prototype was built of fragments of the first, but by the time the enthusiasm to the project disappeared.

CONVAIRCAR MODEL 118. Photo: Wikipedia

It is possible that today when it's time for mass production flying cars. / Time will show, but first their creators need to overcome several big difficulties.

Certification

TRANSITION from Terrafugia is still the leader of the race to enter the market, but he needs to overcome one problem: bureaucracy. The creators of Transition want to receive a certificate for him as for a light sports aircraft (LSA), but for this you need to change the American federal laws and increase the standards for permissible weight from 600 kg to 816 kg. Overweight caused automobile detailswhich are usually not from airplanes, these are airbags, suspension and steering.

Terrafugia In the order of exception in 2010, it was already obtained permission for additional 45 kg, planned to receive a certificate and start selling in 2011. But the company could not meet at 45 kg and now asks for the allowance of 172 kg.

This problem is not only terrafugia, but all flying cars. The aircraft must be as easy as possible, and for the car in many cases, the more weight, the better.

Paul Moller, the creator of Skycar, believes that attempts to squeeze into the weight standards of a light sports aircraft - not a good idea. "As a result, a combination of a bad aircraft may turn out (too slow) and bad car, uncomfortable and easy to such an extent that he will be dangerous on the roads, "he believes.

Pal-V One is a helicopter hybrid and a three-wheel motorcycle from the Netherlands. Photo: Pal-V

Therefore, it develops its model SkyCar, first of all, as an aircraft, and for ground movement, it added only three wheels, and not four. Thus, during movement on Earth, the machine will meet safety standards for motorcycles, not cars. LILIUM JET has made three wheels for the same reason.

Despite all the difficulties, Terrafugia is confident that the American aviation service will meet and give a certificate. But not everyone shares this confidence.

"Even the fans of flying cars doubt that the Federal Aviation Service will allow such a big allowance in weight," said John Brown, the manager of the German carplane. - The issuance of certificates is a planning issue, and not providing exceptions. "

Ed de flight, an expert in the field of certification of aircraft, working in the Skycar test pilot and collaborating with Terrafugia, says that it is difficult, but not a hopeless idea. "I think their chances are as great as everyone else," the flight believes.

Currently in the USA, no flying car has passed certification. If the aviation service goes towards TERRAFUGIA, it will open the door for the entire industry.

However, if the aviation service demands from terrafugia to reduce the weight of their flying car, it will require huge expenses from the company and the entire industry. We should not forget that the main reason why for 100 years flying cars have not been launched in production, is a financial factor.

Run price

According to de flight, America requires approximately $ 50 million to pass the process of certification of the new model of the aircraft. Engineers must analyze the data system, and the aircraft go through many test flights. For a slight sports aircraft, it will cost a little cheaper, but any new companywhich wants to enter the market, must spend a lot of money, he noted.

Financing is the main problem for most companies developing aircraft.

Moller works on creating innovative devices with a vertical take-off for more than 30 years. He has Skycar models - Double Skycar 200, four-bed Skycar 400 and similar to a flying plate of the Neuera apparatus.

Moller International is an open joint-stock company in which Moller has investigated a large number of personal funds for many years to keep the company afloat. Up to the point that in 2009 it issued bankruptcy.

This Industry is unauthorized for investors. Extensive financing is required to develop a device for uncertain purposes. It should receive certificates from organs that have not developed standards for such transport. And finally, its final price is difficult to predict.

Skycar. Photo: Moller International

According to forecasts, immediately after the release of Skycar can cost up to $ 500,000. Then, after the first thousand sold copies, it can cheaper twice. In the distant perspective, in the production of 200,000 pieces per year, its price will fall to the available $ 50,000, Moller believes.

The flying car industry needs not venture capitalists who want to get a quick profit from their investments, and people like Ilona Mask and Jeff Bezness, says de flight. But, apparently, their type entrepreneurs are more interested in private space flights. Such people think: "I don't need a flying car, I want to have your own spacecraft."

Carplane is easily parked in the parking lot for ordinary cars. Photo: Carplane.

Promising trends

Will flying cars appear in the near future? There is no doubt that the number of entrepreneurs who work in this direction is growing, and they are not going to give up. Many are already planning the prototypes of the next generation, which will bring science fiction to real life. They will have a battery power supply, autopilot, etc.

There are positive moves. European companies Carplane and Aeromobil received support from the European Union. In the US, the Agency for promising defense research development (DARPA) wants to create a ground vehicle that could be transformed into the aircraft vertical takeoff.

De flight believes that the Federal Aviation Service gradually changes its views. Although public security is their main priority, this is not the only task. "They switched their attention to the introduction of innovation and think how not the standards are so strict that this will lead to the ruin of companies."

The only obscure question is whether there is a real demand for similar devices. It can be said that in the collective imagination of mankind, the demand for them is definitely eating, so at reasonable prices they will become in demand.

On March 30 of this year, a very interesting event occurred in Germany, which for some reason remains almost unnoticed. The first flight of a very interesting apparatus was called the Volokopter, or rather the VC200 volocopter, which its German creators dubbed White Lady.

The design of a new type of aircraft is a multicoper, or more precisely a sort of hybrid of the helicopter and drone. The double cab is made of carbon fiber, which practically eliminates all sorts of vibrations and noise inside. To the cockpit, by helicopter-standing on two skiing - rods, 6 segments of "Palek" are joined, with three electrical rotors. All segments with 18 rotors make up a full circle. The refusal of one or even 2-3 rotors can practically affect the safety of flight, except that only affect the speed of an unusual aircraft and its scratch.

According to the designers of the new type of technology, anyone can master the multicopter control. The fact is that the control of the Capter is carried out through on-board computerwhich regulates the speed of rotation of a group of propellers. Thus, through the joystick, commands are served through a computer to bearing rotors. With the management, the child can cope with designers.

For storage of the Volokopter, any garage or even a shed will suit. Sections with three engines are disconnected from the cabin and occupy very little space with it. The maximum take-off weight of the apparatus with two people is only 450 kg. At the same time, it can develop speed up to 100 km / h.

German aviation authorities did not know how to register the new kind aviation equipment and they had to invent new category. So far, the Volotopter can control pilots having a sports license, but, according to constructors with time, the device will receive a certificate of pleasure, and therefore anyone who has 340,000 dollars can piloting it, namely at such a price it will go on sale.

But, as any device with an electric drive VC200 has one, but a very significant disadvantage: its flight time is still limited to the container of onboard batteries and is only 20 minutes. The creators of the "White Lady" promise to increase the flight time to one hour.

Despite all the advantages and the extraordinary design, while this is nothing more than another ecological toy for rich extreme lovers.

At the exhibition Helirussia 2106, on the stand of the company, the release of Volocoptera was presented only to promotions and postcards with minimal information on the machine. Probably the creators of the apparatus could not send the car to the exhibition, and maybe it is still in a single copy.

The directions of development conducted by various companies and organizations allow us to assume that in not so distant future if not all, then most of Personal transport will move from ordinary roads to airspace, making an anachronism the concept of road traffic jams, narrow streets and limited to the maneuvers of space.

The aforementioned developments include the project of the double electrical apparatus LILIUM JET (Vertical Take-Off and Landing, VTOL), which is now being developed in Germany under the auspices of the European Space Agency. This one can fly under direct control of the man-pilot, using the remote control system and offline. The maximum speed he can develop in the air will be 400 kilometers per hour, and the first samples of the aircraft may be born already in 2017-2018.

In the design of the Lilium Jet apparatus, vertical takeoff and landing technology and technology of an effective horizontal flight of aircraft with a rigid fixed wing are combined. Much attention is paid to the level of noise published by the Lilium Jet apparatus, according to preliminary calculations, the device will be much quieter than everything that has been created before this is as part of the program, because its main engine will be electrical engine, with a capacity of 329 kW (435 hp), drawing energy from rechargeable batteries.

Lilium Jet - Flying personal transport Future

Currently, the Lilium Jet apparatus is related to Europe to the class of light sports aircraft (Light Sport Aircraft), to control which the minimum pilot license is required, which can be obtained by passing the 20-hour training course.

At the very beginning of operation, Lilium Jet aircraft will be allowed to rise and sit on the surface in specially reserved places. But as the safety level of this device reaches an acceptable value, it will be able to sit down and take off from any platform, 15 meters from any site. In the most economical mode of the horizontal flight, the LILIUM JET device will be able to fly at an average speed of 300 kilometers per hour. In this mode of flight of one charge of batteries, there is enough to cover a distance of 500 kilometers, and when moving with maximum speed The device will consume energy not as efficiently, due to which the flight range can decrease in one and two times.

"Our goal is to create an aircraft suitable for use in quality" - tells Daniel Wiegand, a leader and one of the four founders of Lilium, - "We create an aircraft with a vertical takeoff and landing, which during its operation is not It will need a complex and expensive infrastructure of the type of small airfield. "

Lilium Jet - Flying Personal Transport of the Future

Many of our readers can imagine that even such a small aircraft, with its engines, batteries, can be a higher danger object than a car. However, the latest achievements in the field of intelligent control systems that are already able to drive cars on ordinary roads in automatic mode can make such aircraft much more secure than helicopter. And the functions of automatic landing and take-off, which will be an indispensable attribute of the control system, will eliminate the likelihood of human error during the fulfillment of these most critical and dangerous maneuvers.

According to Lilium's plans, the first prototype of the Lilium Jet aircraft must rise to the air with a man as a pilot in 2017. And by 2018 the device must go through the entire test program, get all the necessary upgrades and alterations and be prepared for the beginning of the certification to obtain permission to operate.