The latest prototype appears in the VTOL machine's trade fair-inexpensive "flying taxi" is about to be realized?

　Google's co -founder Larry Page, Kittyhawk, is a new company Kittyhawk, which was held in San Jose, California in late January, a conference Transformative Vertical Flight 2022 (D -Dolphinity T -2022).Heaviside 2 "The latest prototype was shown.The company believes that Heaviside 2 will be the mainstay of automatic flight taxis, and will eventually be available at affordable rates.

　Heaviside 2 is a single -seater EVTOL, designed to carry passengers in less than an hour at 60-100 miles (approximately 100-160 km).It is an unusual design with a total of eight propellers, one small wing protruding on both sides of the nose, and six on the large forward wings (an angled wings in front).Each propeller can be switched downward when taking off and landing, and turns backwards when flying.

　The goal is to develop an aircraft that can be used at Kittyhawk's director in charge of flight business, "Mile price close to existing Uber riding charges."

　Heaviside 2 incorporates the latest VTOL technology, similar to other aircraft exhibited at the conference, and can take off and land and land and land and land without the long runway required with conventional fixed wing aircraft.The main improvements are more clean and quiet electrical design, and autonomous navigation technology that can not only reduce pilots but also completely unnecessary.

　If these newly designed VTOLs are developing a new and existing aircraft manufacturers, they may contribute to new revitalization in aircraft design and use.Manufacturers, on the other hand, will also need to persuade the general public.Citizens may be skeptical of riding an unmanned aircraft, concerns about noise, and anxious about the rooftops and shopping malls in high -rise buildings to become small airports.

　Nevertheless, Kittyhawk's Taylor is optimistic that people will eventually accept VTOL, as if they appeared in the 20th century and accepted the fundamental means and aircraft.

　The concept of VTOL itself has existed for several centuries.In the 15th century, Leonardo Da Vinci, a genius in both science and technology and art, sketched the design of a single -seater helicopter equipped with Aerial Screw.One of the amazing demonstrations in this conference was a quadcopt drone based on Leonardo da Vinci's design.

　VTOL was realized for the first time with a helicopter designed and flew.After that, a small number of aircraft such as Boeing's "V-22 OSPREY" Tiltley machine, Hawker Siddeley's "Jump Jet" and Lockheed Martin's recent "F-35B Lightning II" fighters are equipped with vertical takeover and landing technology.rice field.However, the difficulty of maneuvering and the complex design have not reached full -scale spread.

　However, modern drones have helped to bring new life into VTOL ideas.Drones are also used in tasks such as transportation and shooting, in addition to hobbies, and the airspace regulatory authorities are forced to review control.Many emerging companies, including Kittyhawk, Archer Aviation and NFT, think that new ideas need now.

This article edited by Asahi Interactive for an article from overseas RED VENTURES for Japan.