US Enterprise Terrafugia announces development of a flying car

Absrtact: Flying cars, this is not the animated "Jason One" (the Jetsons) fictional product, is a genuine flying car, at least, will soon become a reality. American Business Terrafugia (in Latin for fleeing the ground), by several MIT

Flying cars, this is not the animated "Jason" (the Jetsons) fictional product, is a genuine flying car, at least, will soon become a reality.

American corporate Terrafugia ("fleeing the ground" in Latin) was founded by several MIT engineers who announced the development of a flying vehicle. Now, across the Terrafugia and the successes, there may only be some regulation and car battery problems. Terrafugia's victory was in sight as long as the law allowed it to match a very powerful battery to the car. Still, Terrafugia needs to develop a flying car that consumers can afford.

The flying car is the dream of Carl Dietrich (Carl Dietrich), who has been working on research and Development since 2006 to make a dream come true. Dietrich is Terrafugia's co-founder and CEO and CTO.

"I don't think it's absurd to have a product like this now," Dietrich said of the flying car he helped design. "If we have such products, it will bring great economic benefits to the society." Many recent studies have quantified the impact of traffic congestion on the economy, and for the United States alone, I estimate that the annual impact is between 87 billion and 125 billion dollars, compared with the constant speed and no traffic jams. ”

This is part of the reason why Dietrich and Terrafugia want to put wings on your car, and flying is Dietrich's lifelong hobby. Dietrich as a child, why small aircraft can not develop into a more practical means of daily transportation.

Dietrich a Ph. D. At MIT in 2004, when he saw the Federal Aviation Administration (Aerogem Administration, FAA) 's new policy on pilot driving licences and aircraft models. It was these new initiatives that cleared the Terrafugia for the transitions and the birth of the flying car.

The embryonic form of the Transition:terrafugia dream

Terrafugia has launched the first flying car transitions, which is 100 miles per hour in air, and consumes about 35 miles a gallon when traveling on land.

Speaking of transitions, Dietrich said, "We are now testing a second-generation model, but it is still a conceptual product." "The transitions is actually a small civil aircraft that can be folded and retracted, with ordinary petrol instead of more expensive aviation fuel, which can take off at a small airport with less than a minute to recover." When traveling on land, the transitions will stop turning the propeller and turn on the rear-wheel drive mode. At this time, the driver can be legally on the road. When you get home, the driver can just pull transitions into his home bike garage.

"Weather changes have a big impact on the navigation of small aircraft, which is one of the biggest problems pilots face," he said. Dietrich says, "You flew somewhere, suddenly the weather changed, and then you got stuck, and you had to make another itinerary." This is not a reliable. With transitions, you go where you want to go, and driving may take a little longer than a plane, but you can still reach your destination or get home. ”

However, to drive a transitions, a pilot's license is essential because it is thrown as a plane, not as a car or other similar product. So, what's the price of a transitions? 279,000 dollars, the price of a super sports car is comparable. It is hoped that the price of Terrafugia next-generation transitions flying cars will be more affordable.

Tf-x: Let the car fly to the sky

At the thought of flying cars, one might think of the scene in science fiction: When road traffic is chaotic, cars fly in the sky and Roar. Terrafugia next-generation flying cars may not be able to turn this into reality, but it's also close.

"Given the physical limitations and technological realities, how cool and practical are our flying cars?" Dietrich said, "Tf-x this product, is our self-confidence can be developed." ”

In the design phase, Tf-x is designed to be a vertical take-off and landing of the car, equipped with computers and networks for automatic navigation and navigation. All traditional pole-rudder controls are no longer available, and the first task of tf-x operators is to make sure that they are in safe driving. Nothing to worry about, just 5 hours of training, you can go on the road, and do not have to test the pilot's license.

To take off, the first generation of transitions needs 1700 feet of runway power, but tf-x only need to be approved in the area, such as parking and outdoor, can take off and landing, because the tf-x is vertical take-off and landing cars, so do not need a runway. In addition, Tf-x may also be a hybrid car. Dietrich says Terrafugia is looking at innovations in battery technology that will boost battery power over the next 10 years. And unlike transitions, prices will be more affordable. Dietrich said the retail price of tf-x would be around 50,000 dollars, the same price as Tesla Model S.

Clear the barrier.

In addition to equipping tf-x with better batteries, Terrafugia's main challenge is regulatory issues. The FAA and other agencies are required to approve all of these computer-assisted small flying vehicles before they can be airborne. However, Terrafugia is working to solve these problems. "We have an impact on the future standards of product licensing fundamentals," Dietrich said. "We can find a way to change the standard so that vehicles like tf-x can travel in real life." ”