The only way we move forward is to think outside the box – hey, it worked for the Wright Brothers!
The way we build, fuel, and propel aircraft is changing due to the undeniable realization
that fossil fuels are only a finite resource. There is a genuine need for high mobility small
passenger airplanes to get around a sprawling urban environment.
Here are the 10 Most Innovative Aircraft Currently in Development.
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The Concorde was both a success and a failure. It was an incredible piece
of machinery capable of supersonic speeds and crossing large distances in a very short time.
However, it was horrendously expensive to run.
The XB-1 Supersonic is looking to fill some pretty massive shoes but on a small scale.
It's looking to take supersonic travel back into the commercial mainstream
by further developing the technology for improved safety and even more efficient high-speed flight.
It sports a 71-foot-long fuselage shaped like a missile for maximum aerodynamic efficiency,
made from a mix of high-strength low weight carbon composite and 3D printed materials.
A trio of state-of-the-art engines provides over 12,000lb of thrust – enabling the
XB-1 to crack the sound barrier and propel forward in excess of Mach 2.2 or 1,680mph.
Lithium batteries are old news – they're expensive to make, hard to recycle,
and take a pretty massive toll on the environment. The future is hydrogen,
a fuel that is readily available by using solar power to drive the electrolysis of seawater.
The MACA Carcopter is looking to take advantage of this promising renewable energy technology.
But first – is it a car, or is it a helicopter? The answer lies somewhere in
the middle – it's both. This fantastic-looking contraption, weighing a little over 1,300lbs,
can speed a single passenger around a racetrack just as quickly as through the skies.
Using a similar rotor assembly to the hobby drone,
the Carcopter uses a set of 3 double-bladed propellers to get airborne
while keeping noise to a minimum. The manufacturer is hoping that no
license will be necessary for operation, thanks to semi-autonomous capability.
Taking a different approach, the Jetson One is an ultra-lightweight
electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing vehicle (or eVTOL for short) that weighs
less than some humans. Tipping the scales at an unbelievable 198lb!
The design brief was simple – with roads and freeways clogged up with cars,
why not make the skies available to the Regular Joe to travel in. The resulting prototype is made
from an all-aluminum chassis with a carbon fiber seat and rotor propellers. It uses a combination
of 8 brushless electric motors to carry a single pilot weighing 187lb up to 63mph through the air.
Unfortunately, the batteries are still relatively low on capacity, with a flight time of 15 minutes
and a range of about 15 miles. In saying that, it's perfect for getting
to the office at a blindingly fast pace – avoiding the morning peak hour standstill.
The concept was simple – build the Formula 1 of the skies with the ultimate race-bred
technology. The MK3 Airspeeder looks like they've come from the future but are here in the now.
It has classic sportscar lines and curves,
and it's hard not to notice the set of 4 rotors extending from the chassis.
The MK4 is in the works, and just take a look at the specs. A max
airspeed of 100mph at the height of only 196 feet. A 0-60mph acceleration time of 2.3
seconds – faster than both the Tesla Model S and the Lamborghini Hurracan.
It weighs in at just 800lbs and is boasting to bring Formula 1 style agility to the sky
via an array of 22 radar and lidar sensors that would make a fighter jet blush.
Not bad for something that looks like a water strider bug racing around the surface of some
stagnant pond.
Moving away from the rotor type design of other up-and-coming aircraft,
the ANN1 is capable of both Vertical and Short Take-Off Landing – dubbed eV/STOL. It's a
similar operation style to the hugely successful Harrier Jump Jet used in the US armed forces.
It's a single-seater that uses a hybrid-electric rotating propulsion system that cannibalizes the
energy continuously produced by the gas turbine with a generator. The kinetic energy
usually lost is collected to improve efficiency, speed, and flight range.
The ANN1 model has been designed for extreme performance and competition use,
with a higher theoretical top speed and altitude.
Whereas the ANN2 is a basic utility platform
that not only seats two but boasts a much more comprehensive range. Useful for things
like urban surveillance and getting emergency services to where they need to go very quickly.
The Joby Aircraft seeks to target the budding air service market with a quiet,
fast, and affordable airborne taxi that seats a pilot and 4 passengers. The unit is
zero-emission and can fly up to 150 miles on a single charge at a cruise speed of 200mph.
Looking a little like a helicopter on steroids, a twin tail and pair of wings house a total of six
5-bladed rotors, with each engine featuring articular moving heads to better direct
thrust and increase agility and steering performance.
After a decade of research and development, ride-sharing giant Uber
has invested a cool $75m into the project to help things along.
With the hope that the Joby will grace our skies as soon as 2024.
Ferrying people to their destinations free of traffic, on time, and on a budget.
The who's who of Hollywood and the business world fly around the globe on private jets. The Pegasus
Vertical Business Jet will be the next big thing in comfort, luxury, and versatility.
The aircraft combines the convenience of the Vertical Take-Off and Landing ability
of a helicopter with a real small jetliner's speed. It can land on a runway,
gravel, or grass – and even on superyachts if the helipad is large enough.
It has a range of 1,300 miles using VTOL or 2,750 miles using conventional runways.
It's able to fly at 35,000 feet with a cruising speed of 500mph for up to 6 and a half hours.
Improvements to engine economy use save 60% on fuel compared to standard business jets.
Inside it's all class with plush white leather seating,
woodgrain decorative panels, and every gadget you can think of.
The original Y6S is an autonomous flight eVTOL Tricopter
designed to carry 2 passengers short distances across the city skyline.
The significantly larger Y6S Plus ups the capacity to 6 passengers,
making it the first propose electric air shuttle. Lowering operation costs
and making a ride in one of these babies more feasible to the average commuter.
The larger forward-mounted props swivel 90 degrees to assist with lift-off.
At the same time, the rear rotor deactivates once altitude is achieved
in order to reduce wind drag. The system is suitable for 125mph cruise speeds
aided by the top-mounted dual-wing design's ultra-efficient gliding properties.
Onboard lithium batteries provide enough capacity to cover 80 miles between charges.
With plans to manufacture swappable batteries to keep the Y6S charged
and increase the time they are in the air and making money.
With the appearance of an angry wasp looking for vengeance,
the Cavorite X5 Hybrid eVTOL employs an aggressive-looking split wing design
despite being built around system redundancy and passenger safety.
The high-efficiency gas engine is based on the Chevrolet
LS series of V8 engines. It's supported by an electric motor,
driving the sizeable rear-mounted pusher prop along at a rate of knots – up to 215mph.
During vertical take-off and landing, arrays of ducted fans within the dual wings turn the X5
into a 16 rotor, self-balancing Multicopter capable of hovering in the air on a dime.
It can carry up to 5 people inside. Thanks to state-of-the-art aerodynamics,
it takes them up to 300 miles with a fully loaded cargo area.
With a single pilot, that range is increased to more than 625 miles.
There is nothing like it anywhere else in the world.
The BEHA Hybrid-Electric Aircraft is anything but run of the mill.
It's a totally unique design. Two wings split into 3 decks each to drastically increase surface area
and glide through the skies like a massive hang glider.
It's designed for use on small, private airfields and only needs a relatively short
runway for take-off and landing. It's a large plane at 48 feet long and a wingspan of 57feet.
Solar panels will run across the top and along the wings to provide
constant power for the 18 passengers in the cabin and instruments in the cockpit.
A massive rear propfan is a secret bespoke design that will be powered by a pair of
Magni500 electric motors putting out 750hp each – as well as a supplementary Turbogenerator
of unspecified detail.
It will be a mighty puddle jumper capable of 230mph at only 14,000 feet altitude.