Important Innovations

The Blue Sparrow - Next G Flying It definitely looks like a highly advanced helicopter.  It's a hexacopter created by a team of Penn State engineers led by Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering Jack Langelaan. It's their winning design concept and technical specifications that landed them in a top ten contender spot in Boeing's GoFly International Competition for safe, small personal flying machines with vertical takeoff and landing and minimal noise. The competition underscores Boeing's belief that personal flight vehicles are part of the transportation future. Rotor Power 6 rotors give the Blue Sparrow thrust.  The team gets flight control by modulating the rotor speeds.  That changes the thrust from each rotor and the torque from each rotor.  The total thrust controls acceleration.  Differential thrust and torque gives them control over pitch, roll and yaw.  Take off Time The rubber is now hitting the road for the Blue Sparrow....

The FlyKart 2 This vehicle was inspired by go-carts.  It's the creation of Trek Aerospace, a California engineering firm that specializes in fan powered watercraft and aircraft. FlyKart 2 is an off-road vehicle that can also takeoff and fly.  The company calls it a fun off-roader that soars. Very High Tech The vehicle is all-electric.  10 ducted propellers provide vertical takeoff.  The entire aircraft leans forward to cruise inflight.  All of the vehicle's movements are controlled through the thrusts from the propellers. On the Cusp of the Flying Future Team Trek Aerospace believes the FlyKart 2 is one of many potential flying vehicles in the future.  They believe we're just at the start of what electric aircraft with distributed propulsion can do. The FlyKart 2 placed top ten in Boeing's GoFly international competition and they're now competing for the $2 million prize.

Dutch S1 -  Boeing GoFly Winning Concept Dutch team SILVERWING designed this personal flying machine that's an international winner.  It's another top ten contender in Boeing's GoFy International Competition. They've created a flying motorcycle made airborne by 2 large rotors.  The rotors are driven by 2 electric motors. Increased Comfort Level Team SILVERWING designed S1 from the rider's comfort level perspective and to clear the rigorous competitive standards set by Boeing GoFly.  The standards include safety, vehicle size, vertical takeoff and landing, noise level, payload and line of sight.  SILVERWING says the biggest challenge was to keep the noise level minimal while being able to carry a person. S1 Specs S1 takes off vertically.  The thrust for liftoff is provided by the 2 rotors, powered by electric motors.  It then transitions to horizontal flight like a plane.  To win GoFly, it has to fly non-stop for at least 20 miles with n...

Japan's Tetra 3 for Personal Flying This Boeing GoFly, Top Ten winner is so cool it looks like its ready for Star Wars adventures.  It's called Tetra 3 and is the concept design created by Team Tetra of Japan.  It clearly looks like a flying motorbike.  The operator rides it like a motorcycle. And according to Team Tetra Captain Tasuka Nakai, the operator can work it and fly it like a video game. Fun and Easy to Fly The Japanese team says the Tetra 3 is easy for anyone to fly.  An electric motor powers the propellers.  The device can hover, take off and land vertically and fly horizontally, much like a plane with fixed wings.  To win the competition, it also has to fly non-stop at least 20 miles, safely, with minimal noise and comply with the international competition's size standards. Takeoff Time The rubber is hitting the road.  The futuristic, Star Wars-like Tetra 3 is now being built into a working prototype to fly for the gold.  $2 ...

The Harmony - Not Your Average Flying Machine Forget the jetpack.  The future of personal flying machines looks quite different, as in Texas A&M's The Harmony pictured above.  This flying machine is one of ten winners in Boeing's GoFly international competition.  It's cleared for take-off in Phase 2 of the competition. The Texans will be turning the concept into a working prototype. The Harmony's Winning Music The all-electric vehicle was created by Texas A&M engineers.  It's distinctive to say the least.  It's egg-shaped and looks a bit like a lectern. The engineers call it a personal rotorcraft.  The pilot sits above the open coaxial rotors.  The creators say the configuration maximizes hover and forward flight flexibility, pilot safety and reliability.  The Texans says it's practical, safe, green and efficient.  The next step is to take their winning technical specifications and design and build a prototype to fly. Boeing'...