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Vision VTOL
The Vision VTOL is a fully scalable platform designed specifically for the imminent evolution of electric power storage and energy breakthroughs. This is an area that we have been working closely with for years at the cutting edge. Energy and Transportation are about to take a massive leap forward in performance and capability.
Current Lithium batteries are the only remaining limit to range and cost of electric vehicles. Electric motors are potentially more reliable than turbines or piston engines with only one moving part. At the same time a quiet revolution in aviation has occurred. There are now more quadcopters and multirotors flying than any other type of aircraft. The only reason why full size electric multirotors are not practical yet is because of range. The simplicity of electric quadcopters is that there is no need for control surfaces, wings, fuel systems or other limitations of conventional aircraft. The electronic controls, software and sensors are the same for a drone, single seat craft or flying home. This enables a huge advantage over current aviation in development, safety, cost, reliability and scalability. At only 5 times current Lithium polymer density, the Vision becomes practical with a 3 hour range. We are working with 100 times current density and storage life expectancy. This allows transcontinental range at high speed and will inevitably make electric aviation by far the most practical form of transportation. Imagine a car with a 20,000 mile range. Now imagine what that really means. With a similar advance in electric aviation, roads and even airports can become almost obsolete. The Vision is the beginning of a new breed of transportation that is specifically designed for ultra long range electric power and storage - point to point transportation with unprecedented safety and luxury. First designed over 10 years ago, all technologies required are now fully developed. |
The Vision VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) is a next generation aircraft platform. It is designed to do what no current aircraft is capable of. This is not a future dream. We have the technologies right now.
Performance Fully scalable from UAV to large transport Vertical takeoff and landing Safe Stable Fast Highly reliable Long range Electric |
The motors are electric, as are the tilt motors. The original Vision design uses 8 motors. 4 for thrust and 4 for rotor tilt which allows maximum performance and flexibility. This will likely be increased to 16. There are no control surfaces or conventional wings even though the ducted fan shrouds are in fact, highly efficient circular wings. A VTOL with this level of duration performance can be optimized for high speed where very little lift is required. This also reduces effects of turbulence considerably. The original design shown incorporates and advanced accoustic airflow coupling between front and rear wings at high speed.
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The Vision program is more than an aircraft, it is a tool to bring awareness to some amazing new energy breakthroughs. This aircraft is designed to demonstrate just a little of what the coming era of sustainable energy means for humanity.
All primary development is with simulation, virtual reality, video games, RC models, UAV's and stabilized camera platforms. This enables a significant reduction in development cost. We are also open sourcing development since our primary purpose is to support an energy paradigm shift. Open sourcing and encouraging a fun, rewarding global team approach will allow this to occur more rapidly and with greater chance of success.
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To really understand this craft, realize that with electric motors, size makes little difference. The technology is the same. Properly designed electric motors are also far more reliable than fuel based powerplants.
The same reliable piezo gyros that are in your cell phone provide primary stability, just like any toy quadcopter currently does. Millions of them are flying reliably. There is literally no difference in the technology required at any scale except for the amount of redundancy required for safety. |
The only real difference between our design and most existing quadcopters is the tilt function. This allows a much higher cruise speed and greater maneuverability. Tiltrotors are nothing new of course. The difference here is in simplicity, reliability and cost. This is what an electric tiltrotor provides. Modern quadcopters are stable and easy to fly. the Vision shares that same quality as it uses the same technology.
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Since the design is far simpler than current aircraft, component cost is lower also. In production we will make full use of the most advanced custom fabrication technologies to enable maximum scalability and mission flexibility. Since the aerodynamics are far simpler in this kind of craft it allows a much wider customizing capability. One version is even designed to go under water. This is a very different way of looking at aircraft design. Since this is being developed for model and camera platform markets also, we are developing a fully immersive virtual reality goggle capability.
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The Vision VTOL was designed around a number of recent advances in electric energy storage and power density. It was realized that these breakthroughs would enable a long range wingless electric aircraft with vertical takeoff capability, effectively making wings redundant. This results in a significant reduction in complexity and cost while increasing reliability and safety over wings and conventional fuel based power systems.
Vision VTOL
If you are a pilot this may look radical. Compared to what we are flying today it is. However, it is also designed to be far safer with built in redundancy.
Believe it or not, there is nothing new here except the source of energy. The Vision is a quadcopter. There are probably more of this type of aircraft flying today than any other form of aircraft. Everything required has already been developed.
This is the single seat prototype. It uses a conventional sailplane fuselage with little modification required.
Believe it or not, there is nothing new here except the source of energy. The Vision is a quadcopter. There are probably more of this type of aircraft flying today than any other form of aircraft. Everything required has already been developed.
This is the single seat prototype. It uses a conventional sailplane fuselage with little modification required.