Just when we thought mankind has reached the apex of aircraft design with respect to vertical takeoff aircraft like the helicopter, Israel firm Tactical Robotics came around and introduce a whole new concept of VTOL, or vertical takeoff and landing, vehicle. Formerly known as AirMule (which is exactly what it is designed to do, btw), Cormorant UAV is Israel take of VTOL that employs internal rotor blades for lift and horizontally-mounted ducted fans for thrust, and it is designed to transport troops, civilians, or cargos, in locations where even helicopters can’t go. Continue reading Unusual VTOL, Cormorant, Is What Future Helicopters May Look Like
Tag Archives: VTOL
Aurora Wins DARPA VTOL X-Plane Experimental Plane Challenge
If there’s one aviation development that fascinates the military, it would be the ability to take-off vertically like helicopters do and travel at speeds like conventional aircraft. While this has been done, it was never wildly efficient. So, how do you make it even more ‘efficient’? Well, this is the challenge set out by DARPA, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of the U.S. Department of Defense responsible for the development of emerging technologies to be used by the military, in a program called Vertical Takeoff and Landing Experimental Plane (VXP). Continue reading Aurora Wins DARPA VTOL X-Plane Experimental Plane Challenge
Amazon Prime Air Drone Delivery As Explained By Jeremy Clarkson
If you don’t already know, the future is upon us. The future where you can order something online and it will be delivered to you by an airborne drone, well, at least that’s going to happen for the world’s biggest e-tailer, Amazon. The talk of drone delivery has been going for a while now and if you are still clueless about how it works, fret not, cos’ Jeremy Clarkson is here to explain to you how the entire system works and how you, as a Amazon Prime customer, can benefit from it. And yes. That’s Top Gear’s history most notorious presenter, Jeremy Clarkson there presenting the facts about Amazon Prime Air Drone delivery service, as commissioned by Amazon. Continue reading Amazon Prime Air Drone Delivery As Explained By Jeremy Clarkson
This is Sony’s Commercial Drone and it Can Take to the Sky Vertically
I bet you didn’t think Sony will ever make a drone. Well, in fact, the Japanese electronics giant’s mobile arm is already in process of making one and mind you, this ain’t no child’s play. This Vertical Takeoff and Landing drone is destined for far greater things than taking breathtaking footages of Son Doong Cave; it is designed for businesses to carryout “measuring, surveying, observing and inspecting” and could be a reality as soon as next year. Details are a little vague at this point, but one thing for sure, Sony didn’t hop on the drone bandwagon on its own. Continue reading This is Sony’s Commercial Drone and it Can Take to the Sky Vertically
Eurocopter X3 Hybrid Helicopter breaks 300MPH
for all intents and purposes, helicopters are never designed for speed, but for hovering which allows them to perform what traditional fixed wing crafts can’t and go to places where other crafts can’t. as such they have been doing pretty damn well in areas such as transportation of crews to and from oil rigs and ships, ferrying casualties, as well as search and rescue operations. so it may seem that a helicopter don’t quite need to be fast, but that hasn’t stop Eurocopter from experimenting that possibility of breaking the helicopter speed barrier. the Eurocopter X3 Hybrid Helicopter, which we featured on two occasions (here and here), is the experimental aircraft that attempts to bring the best of fixed wing aircraft to a VTOL vehicle and the result, is nothing short of brilliant: this EC-155-based helicopter with wings (albeit stubby ones) and propellers recently topped 263 knots (303 MPH or 487 km/h), proving that helicopter – if you do it right – could be as fast and thereby expanding its applications. Continue reading Eurocopter X3 Hybrid Helicopter breaks 300MPH
Eurocopter X3 hybrid helicopter successfully tops 232 knots
(image credit: Eurocopter)
remember the Eurocopter X3 Hybrid that we featured here last December? well, between then and now, it has reached another milestone. a test flight carried out on the May 12, the X3 managed a true airspeed of 232 knots (430 km/h) for a duration of several minutes under level flight. thanks to the upgraded gearbox that allows the X3 to operate under full engine power, maximizing its true potential. with this milestone, the X3 has performed better than its original goal of 220 knots (407 km/h). Continue reading Eurocopter X3 hybrid helicopter successfully tops 232 knots
Eurocopter X3 hybrid helicopter aircraft tops 180 knots
(image credit: Eurocopter)
it takes a while to get use to the sight of the Eurocopter X3 airplane/helicopter hybrid. anyway, that’s besides the point. in a recent test flight program, this rather odd looking bird achieved a true airspeed of 180 knots (or 333 km/h) in a level flight at a reduced engine power level. Continue reading Eurocopter X3 hybrid helicopter aircraft tops 180 knots