Misplaced Pages

#938061

78-1023: In May 2019, DARPA cancelled the ARES research effort due to significant cost growth and delays. The DARPA TX , or Transformer , was a 5-year, 3-phase roadable aircraft effort coordinated by DARPA for the United States military . The objective of the Transformer (TX) program was to demonstrate a four-person vehicle that provided enhanced logistics and mobility though hybrid flyable/roadable capabilities. This presented an unprecedented capability to avoid traditional and asymmetrical threats while avoiding road obstructions. TX would enable enhanced company operations of future missions with applicable use in strike and raid, intervention, interdiction , insurgency/counterinsurgency, reconnaissance , medical evacuation , and logistical supply. The TX vehicles were to have Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) capability with

156-433: A Ford Pinto , but it disintegrated during test flights killing Smolinski and the pilot. Project Prodigal was a British Army concept in the late 1950s early 1960s for a "Jumping Jeep" to overcome obstacles on the battlefield with entrants were BAC Boulton Paul , Bristol Siddeley , Folland , Handley Page Saunders Roe , Short Brothers Vickers-Armstrongs and Westland . Moller began developing VTOL craft in

234-429: A 1,200 shp Honeywell HTS900 turboshaft engine to power four electric wheel motors or the 56-inch ducted fan, and spin up the 50-foot rotor. Ground speed was up to 80 mph; flight speed range was 50 to 155 kt; maximum altitude was 10,000 ft. The 7,000 lb Lockheed vehicle had two turboshaft engines in a 41 ft wing with tilting 8.5 ft ducted fans, giving a flight speed of 130 kt, while

312-614: A Pratt & Whitney EnduroCore heavy-fuel rotary engine powers the four electric wheel motors for ground motion . At AUVSI 2012, Lockheed Martin spoke openly about their status on the project. AAI Corporation was silent about their involvement details, but confirmed they were still in the competition. At the time of expo, neither company had prototype vehicles, but had designs and scale models of their concept vehicles. Previously, both passed DARPA's preliminary design review , which involved computer modeling. Lockheed's vehicle relied on two huge turbo-shaft fans and folding wings fixed to

390-440: A Prototype Vehicle (PV) with limited features, ready to fly in mid-2015. DARPA aims for a full-featured Field Vehicle (FV) to cost around $ 1 million, compared to $ 400,000 for a Humvee and $ 4 million for a light helicopter. AVX Aircraft Company proposed a concept with coaxial rotors. Ducted fans were intended as propulsion in air as well as on ground.<hugojavierduranmiranda=autogenerated1>Quick, Darren. Logi and Trek offered

468-566: A Rotax 912 engine. It can travel at 200 kilometres per hour (124 mph) with a range of 690 kilometres (430 mi), and flew for the first time in 2013. On 29 October 2014, Slovak startup AeroMobil s.r.o. unveiled AeroMobil 3.0 at Vienna Pioneers Festival. Klein Vision in Slovakia have developed a prototype AirCar , which drives like a sports car and for flight has a pusher propeller with twin tailbooms, and foldout wings. In June 2021,

546-535: A flying car's energy efficiency will be lower than that of a conventional aircraft. Similarly, the flying car's road performance is compromised by the requirements of flight and the need to carry around the various extra parts, so it is also less economical than a conventional motor car. In April 2012, the International Flying Car Association was established to be the "central resource center for information and communication between

624-441: A handful of numbers. Their appearance is often predicted by futurologists , and many concept designs have been promoted. Their failure to become a practical reality has led to the catchphrase "Where's my flying car?", as a paradigm for the failure of predicted technologies to appear. Flying cars are also a popular theme in fantasy and science fiction stories. In 1901 German immigrant to the U.S. Gustave Whitehead purportedly flew

702-512: A hazard to passers-by when on the ground, especially if it is spinning; they must be permanently shrouded, or folded away on landing. For widespread adoption, as envisaged in the near future, it will not be practicable for every driver to qualify as a pilot and the rigorous maintenance currently demanded for aircraft will be uneconomic. Flying cars will have to become largely autonomous and highly reliable. The density of traffic will require automated routing and collision-avoidance systems. To manage

780-446: A heavily populated urban environment. The lift and propulsion systems must be quiet enough not to cause a nuisance, and must not create excessive pollution. For example, pollution emissions standards for road vehicles must be met. The clear environmental benefits of electric power are a strong incentive for its development. The needs for the propulsion system to be both small and powerful, the vehicle structure both light and strong, and

858-482: A light sport aircraft, the pilot will be required to hold a Sport Pilot or higher certificate, which requires a minimum of 20 hours of dual instruction to obtain, as well as passing an FAA oral and practical examination. Owners will be able to drive amidst normal street traffic from their garage to an airport where the wings can be deployed for take-off and flight within a range of 460 miles (740 km; 400 nmi). It will carry two people plus luggage and will operate on

SECTION 10

#1732790093939

936-450: A maximum speed of 200 knots (230 mph; 370 km/h), faster than a helicopter with a sling-load. A similar class of helicopter would require a 30.5 m (100 ft)-wide landing zone, double that of ARES, making 10 times more landing locations usable; the ARES would however be less fuel-efficient than a helicopter while hovering. The Army, Marine Corps, and Special Operations forces have shown interest in ARES demonstrations. DARPA and

1014-414: A maximum takeoff weight of 7,000 lb (3,200 kg) and is powered by two Honeywell HTS900 helicopter engines each generating 989 hp. While it is planned to fly at 170 knots (200 mph; 310 km/h) with a ceiling of 20,000 ft (6,100 m) and a mission radius of 175 mi (282 km), the production variant is planned to be able to cruise at 250 knots (290 mph; 460 km/h) with

1092-457: A minimum combat range of 250  nautical miles on a single tank of fuel. The primary focus of the TX program was the development and demonstration of an integrated suite of critical technologies to enable dual-mode transportation, VTOL capability, efficient flight performance, and a combat range comparable to present day rotorcraft. It was envisioned that the program would, at a minimum, demonstrate

1170-455: A minimum. A typical airframe is therefore lightweight and easily damaged. On the other hand, a road vehicle must be able to withstand significant impact loads from casual incidents while stationary, as well as low-speed and high-speed impacts, and the high strength this demands can add considerable weight. A practical flying car must be both strong enough to pass road safety standards and light enough to fly. Any propeller or rotor blade also creates

1248-555: A mission radius similar to the V-22 Osprey . This article incorporates work from https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=9b745d803c1d206f16fd6f64542eadd6&tab=core&tabmode=list&print_preview=1 , which is in the public domain as it is a work of the United States Army. Roadable aircraft A flying car or roadable aircraft is a type of vehicle which can function both as

1326-423: A powered aircraft, which was described as able to propel itself along roads to the site of the flying experiment. Consensus among historians is that Whitehead's no. 21 did not achieve sustained self-powered flight. Aircraft designer Glenn Curtiss built his Autoplane in 1917. It had a pusher propeller for flight, with removable flight surfaces including a triplane wing, canard foreplane and twin tails. It

1404-426: A practical roadable aircraft. The approach is novel in that it uses a mostly stock aircraft with a modified landing gear "pod" that carries the engine for road propulsion. The wings fold along the side, and the main landing gear and engine pod slide aft in driving configuration to compensate for the rearward center of gravity with the wings folded, and provide additional stability for road travel. The Super Sky Cycle

1482-829: A prototype and a production vehicle. No more than 2 contracts were to be awarded in the $ 65m Phase I. In September however only AAI 's proposal was selected, for $ 3m. This proposal built on the CarterCopter slowed rotor technology, and incorporated deployable surfaces technology from Terrafugia . The United States Army Research Laboratory (Vehicle Technology Directorate) was contracted to conduct rotor analysis. Other partners were Bell Helicopter and Textron Marine & Land Systems , sister companies of AAI and subsidiaries of Textron . Lockheed Martin , Piasecki Aircraft , Ricardo Inc. , Carnegie Mellon University , Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne , Aurora Flight Sciences , ThinGap , Terrafugia and Metis Design are also connected to

1560-477: A road vehicle and as an aircraft. As used here, this includes vehicles which drive as motorcycles when on the road. The term "flying car" is also sometimes used to include hovercars and/or VTOL personal air vehicles . Many prototypes have been built since the early 20th century, using a variety of flight technologies. Most have been designed to take off and land conventionally using a runway. Although VTOL projects are increasing, none has yet been built in more than

1638-407: A rotor must, like many naval helicopters, be either two-bladed or foldable. The quadcopter requires only a simple control system with no tail. The autogyro relies on a separate thrust system to build up airspeed, spin the rotor and generate lift. However, some autogyros have rotors that can be spun up on the ground and then disengaged, allowing the aircraft to jump-start vertically. The PAL-V Liberty

SECTION 20

#1732790093939

1716-697: A separate trailer or leave them behind and drive back to them before taking off again. Other conventional takeoff fixed-wing designs, such as the Terrafugia Transition , include folding wings that the car carries with it when driven on the road. Vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) is attractive, as it avoids the need for a runway and greatly increases operational flexibility. Typical designs include rotorcraft and ducted fan powered lift configurations. Most design concepts have inherent problems. Rotorcraft include helicopters with powered rotors and autogyros with free-spinning rotors. For road use,

1794-523: A single tank of premium unleaded gas. The design of the production version was made public at AirVenture Oshkosh on 26 July 2010 and no longer included a front canard. The Transition Proof-of-Concept's maiden flight on 5 March 2009 lasted 37 seconds and covered 3,000 feet (910 m) of the runway at the Plattsburgh International Airport . The test pilot then conducted 6 additional takeoffs and landings. In June 2010,

1872-733: A top speed of 80 mph (130 km/h) and a maximum range of 180 miles (290 km) in flight. On the ground it has a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h) and a maximum range of 249 miles (401 km). Parajet flew and drove its prototype from London to Timbuktu in January 2009. The Maverick Flying Dune Buggy was designed by the Indigenous People's Technology and Education Center of Florida as an off-road vehicle that could unfurl an advanced parachute and then travel by air over impassable terrain when roadways were no longer usable. The 1,100-pound (500 kg) 'Maverick' vehicle

1950-399: A turret above the cab to provide lift and thrust during flight. A key component is computerized flight. Because it will be used by soldiers rather than trained pilots, vehicle operation will be mostly automated. One idea is to have a computer screen to simply plot GPS points to chart a flight path. The fans rotate 90 degrees on the turret from their stowed positions just in front of and behind

2028-678: Is a Chinese-owned corporation, based in Woburn, Massachusetts , United States that is developing a roadable aircraft called the Transition and a flying car called the TF-X . The Transition and TF-X are designed to be able to fold their wings, enabling the vehicles to also operate as street-legal road vehicles. In January 2021, Terrafugia announced that the Transition received a Special Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) airworthiness certificate from

2106-519: Is an example of the autogyro type. Ducted-fan aircraft such as the Moller Skycar tend to easily lose stability and have been unable to travel at greater than 30–40 knots . The flying car places unique demands on the vehicle power train. For a given all-up weight, an aero engine must deliver higher power than its typical road equivalent. However, on the road the vehicle must handle well and not be overpowered. Power must also be diverted between

2184-502: Is powered by a 128 hp (95 kW) engine that can also drive a five-bladed pusher propeller . It was initially conceived in order to help minister to remote Amazon rainforest communities, but will also be marketed for visual pipeline inspection and other similar activities in desolate areas or difficult terrain. The Plane Driven PD-1 Roadable Glastar is a modification to the Glastar Sportsman GS-2 to make

2262-428: Is provided by a fixed wing , spinning rotor or direct powered lift . The powered helicopter rotor and direct lift both offer VTOL capability, while the fixed wing and autogyro rotor take off conventionally from a runway. The simplest and earliest approach was to take a driveable car and attach removable flying surfaces and propeller. However, when on the road, such a design must either tow its removable parts on

2340-527: Is still flying, is the 1949 Taylor Aerocar . In 1946, the Fulton FA-2 Airphibian was an American made flying car designed by Robert Edison Fulton Jr. , it was an aluminum-bodied car, built with independent suspension, aircraft-sized wheels, and a six-cylinder 165 hp engine. The fabric wings were easily attached to the fuselage, converting the car into a plane. Four prototypes were built. Charles Lindbergh flew it 1950 and, although it

2418-472: Is to carry a detachable payload module such as a cargo pod, casualty evacuation module, light vehicle, or even a small boat. The front section of the flight vehicle has management system computers that are controlled by a ground control station to plot its flight path. Work on Phase III began in January 2014; Lockheed is to develop the flight control software, and Piasecki will build the flight module and systems. The fans are driven via two turboshafts housed in

Aerial Reconfigurable Embedded System - Misplaced Pages Continue

2496-490: The Civil Aviation Authority approved the design for mass production, but despite wide publicity and an improved version produced in 1989, Taylor did not succeed in getting the flying car into production. In total, six Aerocars were built. It is considered to be one of the first practical flying cars. One notable design was Henry Smolinski's Mizar , made by mating the rear end of a Cessna Skymaster with

2574-777: The European Union Member States, the Accession Candidates and Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine). The associations are also organizing racing competitions for roadable aircraft in Europe, the European Roadable Aircraft Prix (ERAP), mainly to increase awareness about this type of aircraft among a broader audience. The flying car was and remains a common feature of conceptions of the future , both predicted and imaginary. Flying cars have been under development since

2652-494: The Russian Airborne Troops . The vehicle will be a hybrid of a light combat vehicle and an attack helicopter with a crew of three to four people, and be developed by 2030. DARPA was at first not interested in traditional rotary-wing aircraft , but shrouded rotor concepts might have been considered. The first phase consisted of trade studies to evaluate future technologies as well as conceptual design of both

2730-628: The Whatsit . It had a wingspan of 38 feet (12 m) and a length of 20 feet 6 inches (6.25 m). On the ground and in the air it was powered by a Studebaker engine. It could fly at 112 mph (180 km/h) and drive at 56 mph (90 km/h). In 1942, the British army built the Hafner Rotabuggy , an experimental roadable autogyro that was developed with the intention of air-dropping off-road vehicles. In developed form

2808-414: The $ 65 million Transformer program to develop a four-person roadable aircraft by 2015. The vehicle was to have had VTOL capability and a 280-mile (450 km) range. AAI Corporation and Lockheed Martin were awarded contracts. The program was cancelled in 2013. The Parajet Skycar utilises a paramotor for propulsion and a parafoil for lift. The main body consists of a modified dune buggy. It has

2886-512: The Aeronautics Branch. Although it had been successfully tested, it did not enter production. The first fixed wing roadable aircraft to fly was built by Waldo Waterman . Waterman had been associated with Glenn Curtiss when pioneering amphibious aircraft at North Island on San Diego Bay in the 1910s. On 21 February 1937, Waterman's Arrowbile first took to the air. The Arrowbile was a development of Waterman's tailless aircraft,

2964-745: The FAA for the Transition to be flown only, with road use approval to follow in 2022. In February 2021 the company had laid off the majority of its employees, planned to close its US operations and re-establish in China. Terrafugia was founded by graduates of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and graduates of the MIT Sloan School of Management . Their team and business plan

3042-829: The FAA granted Terrafugia an exemption for the Transition's extra takeoff weight. The added weight accommodates the Transition's road safety features, which is needed to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. On June 29, 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also granted exemptions allowing the Transition to use a polycarbonate windshield, to use tires suited for highway and aircraft use but not typically certified for multi-purpose vehicle use, to not include an electronic stability control system that could inadvertently cut engine power during flight, and finally, to use regular instead of advanced airbag deployment. After undergoing drive tests and high-speed taxi tests,

3120-631: The Rotabuggy achieved a flight speed of 70 mph (113 km/h). However, the introduction of gliders that could carry vehicles (such as the Waco Hadrian and Airspeed Horsa ) led to the project's cancellation. Although several designs (such as the ConVairCar) have flown, none have enjoyed commercial success, and those that have flown are not widely known by the general public. The most successful example, in that several were made and one

3198-471: The Tyrannos, a tilt-fan vehicle. In 2012, Lockheed and Piasecki Aircraft were selected for their design that combined a manned vehicle with an unmanned detachable ducted fan-powered flight module, which could operate by itself. A 2013 DARPA program review found limited interest in the flying car concept among the military services, leading to the ground vehicle being dropped and the program adapted to use

Aerial Reconfigurable Embedded System - Misplaced Pages Continue

3276-400: The ability to avoid threats and obstacles. The TX was required to have a range of 250 nmi (460 km) on a single tank of fuel which may be attained through flight, land, or a combination of both. The vehicle was to be lightly armored, required only to handle small arms fire. Its VTOL capability gave it the ability to avoid threats. Russia will develop a vehicle similar to the TX for

3354-475: The ability to build a ground vehicle that was capable of configuring into a VTOL air vehicle that provided sufficient flight performance and range, while carrying a payload that was representative of four troops with gear. Key performance parameters were specified to show specific operational utility. The program was divided into two separate tasks; Task A would develop and integrate a full vehicle and Task B would develop individual critical technologies components for

3432-541: The air. Current types require manual control by both a driver and a pilot. For mass adoption, it would also need to be environmentally friendly, able to fly without a fully qualified pilot at the controls, and come at affordable purchase and running costs. Design configurations vary widely, from modified road vehicles such as the AVE Mizar at one extreme to modified aircraft such as the Plane Driven PD-1 at

3510-512: The airborne and road drive mechanisms. Some designs therefore have multiple engines, with the road engine being supplemented, or even replaced by, additional flight engines. As with other vehicles, power has traditionally been supplied by internal combustion engines , but electric power is undergoing rapid development. It is coming into increasing use on road vehicles, but the weight of the batteries currently makes it unsuited to aircraft. However its low environmental signature makes it attractive for

3588-577: The cab to their in-flight positions on both sides of it. Control of takeoff, landing, and flight is controlled by the computer, although soldiers onboard would be able to alter their course or perform an emergency landing. The automated flight technology will be similar to the kind used by the F-35 Lightning II . The lift fans of Lockheed's vehicle provide hover while AAI's did not. AAI's vehicle could be made lighter, which gave greater ability to up-armor. The winning team from Phase II will produce

3666-550: The center section. The constant-speed, variable-pitch fans and movable vanes in the duct exhausts provide control. The ARES module will be 8.5 ft (2.6 m) wide, 30 ft (9.1 m) long with the outboard wing panels stowed, and 42 ft (13 m) long unfolded. 7.5 ft (2.3 m)-diameter fans will be enclosed in ducts that are initially planned to be 8.5 ft in diameter, which may be increased in length to 3.05 m (10.0 ft). Optimum speed will be 130–150 knots (150–170 mph; 240–280 km/h), with

3744-540: The company had received fewer than 35 aircraft reservations, but by September 2009, they had doubled that to 70; as of December 2011 , 100 reservations were on deposit representing potential revenues above US$ 25 million. In July 2017 the company was purchased by the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group , a Chinese corporate conglomerate that also owns the Volvo and Lotus Cars automobile companies, with

3822-422: The company had reportedly laid off 80-100 of its employees, a majority of the people who worked there. The company planned shutdown its US operations and re-establish in China. Terrafugia originally expected initial deliveries of the Transition light sport aircraft in 2015 or 2016. The estimated purchase price was originally announced as US$ 194,000 and was increased to US$ 279,000 as of December 2011 . As

3900-456: The company planned to move flying cars to market: "the plan is that in 2017 we'll be able to announce ... the first flying roadster." In 2016, AeroMobil was test-flying a prototype that obtained Slovak ultralight certification. When the final product will be available or how much it will cost is not yet specified. In 2018, it unveiled a concept that resembled a flying sportscar with VTOL capability. The Aeromobil 2.5 has folding wings and

3978-506: The contractors shall identify a transition partner if tests are successful. Lockheed expected flight testing of the ARES module in June 2016, but that was delayed until late 2017 because "some developmental items required some additional testing;" the drive train borrows gears from the CH-53E helicopter, but the proprotors, ducts, and other parts are all unique and brand new. The demonstrator has

SECTION 50

#1732790093939

4056-443: The control systems fully integrated and autonomous, can only be met at present, if at all, using advanced and expensive technologies. This may prove a significant barrier to widespread adoption. Flying cars are used for relatively short distances at high frequency. They travel at lower speeds and altitudes than conventional passenger aircraft. However optimal fuel efficiency for aeroplanes is obtained at higher speeds and altitudes, so

4134-430: The early days of motor transport and aviation, and many futurologists have predicted their imminent arrival. Aircraft manufacturer Glenn Curtiss unveiled his unflyable Autoplane in 1917. In 1940, vehicle manufacturer Henry Ford predicted that; "Mark my word: a combination airplane and motorcar is coming. You may smile, but it will come.” Terrafugia Terrafugia ( / ˌ t ɛr ə ˈ f uː dʒ i ə / )

4212-499: The flying car industry, news networks, governments, and those seeking further information worldwide". Because flying cars need practical regulations that are mostly dealt with on a regional level, several regional associations were established as well, with the European Flying Car Association (EFCA) representing these national member associations on a pan-European level (51 independent countries, including

4290-641: The full vehicle. The Marines , Air Force , special forces and National Guard had stated an interest in the vehicle. Marines may have used the Transformer as a tool for the Enhanced Company Operations concept. The Marines would use the vehicle for amphibious assault and potentially eliminate the need for amphibious vehicles which are vulnerable to shore defenses and limited by their low speeds. Special ops would like to send vehicles unmanned to resupply special operators and then allow them to use that vehicle. Its VTOL capability gave it

4368-473: The ground hazard posed by the hot, high-velocity exhaust stream. In order to operate safely, a flying car must be certified independently as both a road vehicle and an aircraft, by the respective authorities. The person controlling the vehicle must also be licensed as both driver and pilot, and the vehicle maintained according to both regimes. Mechanically, the requirements of powered flight are so challenging that every opportunity must be taken to keep weight to

4446-478: The inevitable periodic failures and emergency landings, there will need to be sufficient designated landing sites across built-up areas. In addition, poor weather conditions could make the craft unsafe to fly. Regulatory regimes are being developed in anticipation of a large increase in the numbers of autonomous flying cars and personal air vehicles in the near future, and compliance with these regimes will be necessary for safe flight. A basic flying car requires

4524-404: The late 1960s, but no Moller vehicle has ever achieved free flight out of ground effect. The Moller Skycar M400 was a project for a personal VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aircraft which is powered by four pairs of in-tandem Wankel rotary engines . The proposed Autovolantor model had an all-electric version powered by Altairnano batteries. The company has been dormant since 2015. In

4602-584: The mid-1980s, former Boeing engineer Fred Barker founded Flight Innovations Inc. and began the development of the Sky Commuter, a small duct fans-based VTOL aircraft. It was a compact, 14-foot-long (4.3 m) two-passenger and was made primarily of composite materials. In 2008, the remaining prototype was sold for £86k on eBay . In 2009 the U.S., the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) initiated

4680-452: The other. Most are dedicated flying car designs. While wheeled propulsion is necessary on the road, in the air lift may be generated by fixed wings, helicopter rotors or direct engine power . The Alef Model A project offers an unusual configuration in which the body of the car is hollow and the sides are slabs; in the air it rolls sideways so that the slabs become a biplane wing. The cabin remains upright. Like other aircraft, lift in flight

4758-637: The person at the controls to be both a qualified road driver and aircraft pilot. This is impractical for the majority of people and so wider adoption will require computer systems to de-skill piloting. These skills include aircraft manoeuvring, navigation and emergency procedures, all in potentially crowded airspace. The onboard control system will also need to interact with other systems such as air traffic control and collision-risk monitoring. A practical flying car may need to be capable of full autonomy , in which people are present only as passengers. A flying car capable of widespread use must operate acceptably within

SECTION 60

#1732790093939

4836-474: The production prototype completed its first flight on March 23, 2012 at Plattsburgh, New York . The production prototype then made its auto show debut at the 2012 New York International Auto Show in April, 2012. In June, 2012, Terrafugia announced that the Transition had completed the first of six phases of flight testing. By July, the second phase of testing was underway, expanding the performance envelope in

4914-420: The project. In October 2010, Lockheed Martin , Piasecki Aircraft and its partners were also connected to Phase 1 of the program. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne received a US$ 1 million contract to develop a Diesel engine called Enduro Core to power the Transformer. In 2011, AAI and Lockheed were chosen to proceed with Phase II of the project. The 7,500 lb AAI vehicle was proposed to be equipped with

4992-452: The prototype carried out a 35-minute flight between airports. It was type certified as an aircraft in January 2022. The Terrafugia Transition is a roadable aircraft intended to be classed as a Personal Air Vehicle . It can fold its wings in 30 seconds and drive the front wheels, enabling it to operate both as a traditional road vehicle and as a general aviation aeroplane with a range of 500 mi (800 km). An operational prototype

5070-494: The purchase finalized in November 2017. The company started 2017 with 20 employees and hired 75 more people during the year. It planned to hire an additional 50 people by December 2018. During that period the company increased the staffing levels at its Woburn, Massachusetts, headquarters, expanding the work force in engineering, accounting, human resources, marketing and also operations. A new research and development division

5148-427: The short trips and dense urban environments envisaged for the flying car. On the road, most flying cars drive the road wheels in the conventional way. A few use the aircraft propeller in similar manner to an airboat , but this is inefficient. In the air, a flying car will typically obtain forward thrust from one or more propellers or ducted fans. A few have a powered helicopter rotor . Jet engines are not used due to

5226-612: The sky and continuing drive testing on the ground. The company's next-generation concept, the TF-2, is an aircraft that would have carried both cargo and passenger loads. Transformer (TX) was a DARPA US$ 65m, five year, three phase program intended to develop a 'flying Humvee '. A Phase 1 proposal from AAI Corporation was awarded a US$ 3m contract in September, 2010 and incorporates deployable surfaces technology from subcontractor Terrafugia. On May 7, 2013, Terrafugia announced

5304-581: The unmanned VTOL flight module delivery system as the Aerial Reconfigurable Embedded System (ARES). The pod-carrying facility will have assistance loading cargo and be able to unload autonomously. Remote control is possible, but it will have the ability to fly itself, enabling battlefield supply missions carrying cargo or personnel without risking pilots. Lockheed claims their craft can be configured for several missions including reconnaissance, medical evacuation, and strike. It

5382-526: The world's first consumer flying car showroom. However, as yet there are no certified flying cars in production. In 2023 Doroni Aerospace earned an official FAA Airworthiness Certification. It is powered by ten independent propulsion systems. They company claimed a top speed of 140 mph and a 60-mile range. It includes two electric motors with patented ducted propellers. The machine is 23 ft long and 14 ft wide. A flying car must be capable of safe and reliable operation both on public roads and in

5460-486: Was a prototype roadable autogyro , flown on 26 March 1936 by test pilot James G. Ray. Forward thrust was initially provided by twin counter-rotating propellers for thrust, later replaced with a single propeller. On 26 October 1936, the aircraft was converted to roadable configuration. Ray drove it to the main entrance of the Commerce Building, Washington, D.C. , where it was accepted by John H. Geisse, chief of

5538-465: Was able to hop, but not fly. In 1935, Constantinos Vlachos built a prototype of a 'tri-phibian' vehicle with a circular wing, but it caught fire after the engine exploded while he was demonstrating it in Washington, D.C. Vlachos was badly injured and spent several months in hospital. The machine is most notable for a newsreel that captured the incident. The Autogiro Company of America AC-35

5616-508: Was also established in Petaluma, California , intended to undertake all future engineering tasks. In September, 2018, Terrafugia replaced Carl Dietrich as CEO with Chris Jaran. Dietrich remained in the CTO position. In April 2019, the company replaced CEO Chris Jaran with Chao Jing. Huaibing Wang became CFO. Dietrich announced his departure from Terrafugia at the same time. In February 2021

5694-459: Was an American homebuilt roadable gyroplane designed and manufactured by The Butterfly Aircraft LLC . It is a registered motorcycle . At the 2014 Pioneers Festival at Wien (Austria) AeroMobil presented their version 3.0 of their flying car. The prototype was conceived as a vehicle that can be converted from an automobile to an aircraft. The version 2.5 proof-of-concept took 20 years to develop and first flew in 2013. CEO Juraj Vaculik said that

5772-587: Was displayed at Oshkosh in 2008 and its first flight took place on 2009-03-05. It will carry two people plus luggage and its Rotax 912S engine operates on premium unleaded gas. It was approved by the FAA in June 2010. The production-ready single-engine, roadable PAL-V Liberty autogyro, or gyrocopter , debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2018, then became the first flying car in production, and

5850-498: Was initially planned for 2009; the second and third rounds of equity financing raised US$ 2,037,680 in May, 2010 and US$ 960,418 in Dec, 2010. Another equity offering of US$ 3.5 million was reported in May, 2012 of which $ 1,020,369 had been sold. In October 2008, Terrafugia reported seeking reservations for airframe number 57 representing an order book of more than US$ 8 million. In March 2009,

5928-580: Was not a commercial success (financial costs of airworthiness certification forced him to relinquish control of the company, which never developed it further), it is now in the Smithsonian . The Aerocar , designed and built by Molt Taylor , made a successful flight in December 1949, and in following years versions underwent a series of road and flying tests. Chuck Berry featured the concept in his 1956 song " You Can't Catch Me ", and in December 1956

6006-470: Was set to launch in 2020, with full production scheduled for 2021 in Gujarat, India . The PAL-V ONE is a hybrid of a gyrocopter with a leaning 3-wheel motorcycle. It has two seats and a 160 kW flight certified gasoline engine. It has a top speed of 180 km/h (112 mph) on land and in air, and weighs 910 kg (2,010 lb) max. On 15 April 2021, Los Altos, California , became home to

6084-546: Was the runner-up for the 2006 MIT $ 100K Entrepreneurship Competition . Terrafugia was then incorporated May 1, 2006, with much of the initial funding coming from CEO and founder Carl Dietrich's US$ 30,000 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize . The first round of convertible note financing began at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2006 and closed December 21, 2006, raising US$ 258,215. Five additional rounds of convertible note financing followed. The first round of equity financing closed in 2008 and raised US$ 1,531,323. Another round of equity financing

#938061