Jetpacks to VTOL Multi-Rotors

Dean Sigler Electric Aircraft Components, Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

You see a lot of articles petulantly demanding, “Dude, where’s my jetpack?” or “Where’s my flying car?”  It’s a bit like wanting a Formula 1 racer in which to commute, and fraught with similar problems.  An F1 race car, for instance, demands incredible driving skills – that’s why most F1 drivers are incredibly well compensated.  A jetpack is a very short-range machine.  Strapping one on, avoiding scorch marks on your heels and zipping even a mile or two might actually take more time than walking, or hopping on a bike. From James Bond to Civilian Use James Bond’s use of a Bell Rocket Belt to escape goons in Thunderball made it look quick, easy, and a great way to find your way to your Aston-Martin and the Bond girl of the day.  Movie editing couldn’t provide us with anything close to that before now, as commercially-available versions were too pricey (still are) and too demanding to allow untrained civilians anywhere …

EAS IX: Pete Lynn’s Tethered wing aircraft

Dean Sigler Electric Aircraft Materials, Electric Powerplants, Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

Pete Lynn delivered a talk at the 2015 Electric Aircraft Symposium on tethered wing aircraft that could provide long-range transport for large-scale cargo (Pete envisions shipping containers) and VTOL operation – electric flying trucks.  He works at Otherlab, a wildly inventive operation at the historic Schoenstein Organ Factory, identified as San Francisco Landmark #99 and located in the Inner Mission District.  The group works with extremes of technology and design, “attracting research funding for early and risky ideas in areas such as ‘programmable matter’, robotics, solar energy, wind energy, energy storage, computational and advanced manufacturing, medical devices and more. These non-dilutive investments allow us de-risk the very early exploratory phase of our projects.” Pete cautions, however, that despite his work on things like pneumatic robots for Otherlab, the ideas expressed at EAS IX are his own and not necessarily those of his employer. The system trades top speed for extremely light weight in the lifting structure.  This allows hoisting a weight much …

Verticopter® Now Elytair

Dean Sigler Diesel Powerplants, Electric Powerplants, Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

Oliver Garrow has been working with a convertiplane design concept since 2007, and has flown over 100 “sorties” with large scale models to test the concept and demonstrate flight characteristics. Reported here in 2010, the aircraft initially looked a bit like an annular-wing configuration with pivoting engines or electric motors for lift and propulsion.  Now, in its most current version, it looks a bit more like a box wing design with pivoting propulsion.  Oliver’s company has changed its name from Verticopter to Elytair.  As explained in company literature, “Elytair, named with the goal to offer Elite personnel Air transportation solutions, will be offered as a design platform through selective licensing agreements, for either manned or unmanned applications.” As with the Verticopter, the Elytair can land and take off in every conceivable mode; conventional take-offs and landings (CTOL), vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) and short take-offs and vertical landings (STOVL).  As with helicopters, Elytair can hover, but because it can pivot …

The Joby Monarch – Rising Above It All

Dean Sigler Electric Powerplants, Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

JoeBen Bevirt is an extraordinary individual – and that’s no hyperbole.  Creating a lucrative underpinning with his line of knobby, infinitely-adjustable tripods, cell-phone and iPad™ holders, and LED lights, he has expanded into designing giant kites to fly into upper-atmosphere winds and generate high-output electricity.  To loft these kites, he has created a line of motors with the aid of Diederik Marius, shown on the Joby Motors web site, and so far include two versions each of the JM1S and JM2S.  Each can be configured with different windings for different applications.  The JM1S weighs 1.8 kilograms (3.96 pounds) and can put out 12 kilowatts peak (16 horsepower) at 6,000 rpm.  Diminutive, it is only154 millimeters in diameter (6.06 inches) and 53 mm (2.08 inches) thick.  Although recommended usage includes radio-controlled models, one can see electric ultralight aircraft being designed in enthusiasts’ heads.  Prices are $895 and $955 for the two configurations of the motor. The larger JM2S weighs 3.35 kg …

The Verticopter® , an Adaptable and Expandable Convertiplane

Dean Sigler Electric Powerplants, Sustainable Aviation 4 Comments

Oliver Garrow, founder, designer, and President of Garrow Aircraft LLC, says it right up front, “My design is completely counterintuitive.”  Pilots are used to counterintuitive thinking.  Push the nose down and add power when you’ve stalled and are heading groundward anyway, for instance.  But the logic of what Garrow is doing becomes apparent only when you see the Verticopter® flying.  Adaptable for varying flight characteristics, the Verticopter can be powered by one or more motors.  A single motor, for instance, would provide a simple solution for a conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft.  A short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) airplane might use two or more motors.  Full vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) would require four to six motors.  Motors can be pivoted on all models, providing vectored thrust that makes the most of the airplane’s unique configuration.  Garrow sees electric power as ideal for this application, and the use of one or multiple motors simplifies the problem of vectoring the …