Krossblade Aerospace Systems

Last updated
Krossblade Aerospace Systems
Company typePrivate
Industry Aerospace/Aviation
Founded2014
FounderDaniel Lubrich and Austin Kipp
Headquarters United States Singapore
Area served
Global locations
ProductsSkyCruiser, SkyProwler
Website www.krossblade.com

Krossblade Aerospace Systems is an aviation company founded in 2014 in Phoenix Arizona, USA. The company is known for developing a 5-seat VTOL concept, SkyCruiser, hybrid vehicle for vertical take-off and landing, and for its drone/UAV prototype, named SkyProwler. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] Both aircraft employ the switchblade transformation mechanism to transform from a multirotor aircraft for vertical take-off and landing, to a pure winged aircraft, for rapid and efficient cruise. [7] [8]

Contents

Products

Krossblade SkyCruiser

SkyCruiser is a concept of vertical take-off and landing transformer aircraft with limited road drive capability. It has 5 seats and is powered by a hybrid powertrain. [9] [10] All rotors and propellers are driven by electric motors, the electric energy is produced by a 400 hp internal combustion engine mated to a generator. [2] A small battery provides backup storage of electric energy, enabling SkyCruiser to briefly fly on stored electric power. SkyCruiser is able to fly at speeds in excess of 300 mph with a range of around 1,000 miles. [2] Although capable of driving on roads, SkyCruiser is optimized for flight. Fast cruise bridges larger distances rapidly, while the VTOL capability enables it to land at or very close to its passengers’ destination. [11] [12] SkyCruiser was scheduled to come to market at the end of the current decade (before 2020). [13]

Krossblade SkyProwler

title=Krossblade SkyProwler Krossblade SkyProwler Hover VTOL 800.jpg
title=Krossblade SkyProwler

SkyProwler is a UAV/drone prototype used by Krossblade to develop the essential mechanisms and concepts for the larger SkyCruiser. [1] [2] It’s a purely electrical aircraft that utilizes the switchblade mechanism to transform from multirotor mode for VTOL to a pure aircraft mode for fast and efficient cruise. Possible applications include delivery. [13] SkyProwler flies with speeds of up to 55 mph. [14]

Krossblade SkyProwler 2

SkyProwler 2 was introduced in 2019. It has the vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) ability. VTOL is facilitated by the transforming process of its arms by folding and expanding. [15]

Switchblade mechanism

Rather than employing a rigid frame to mount motors and rotors as is done in quadcopters and other multi-rotors, in the switchblade mechanism, motors and rotors are mounted on movable arms. These arms can pivot and so enable storage of the rotors and motors inside the fuselage, where they do not cause aerodynamic drag and hence enable aircraft to fly faster and more efficiently. Compared to a pure-winged aircraft, the VTOL system, including the switchblade mechanism, increases the weight of an aircraft by around 15%. [16]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flying car</span> Car that can be flown in much the same way as a car may be driven

A flying car or roadable aircraft is a type of vehicle which can function both as a road vehicle and as an aircraft. As used here, this includes vehicles which drive as motorcycles when on the road. The term "flying car" is also sometimes used to include hovercars and/or VTOL personal air vehicles. Many prototypes have been built since the early 20th century, using a variety of flight technologies. Most have been designed to take off and land conventionally using a runway. Although VTOL projects are increasing, none has yet been built in more than a handful of numbers.

A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is one that can take off and land vertically without relying on a runway. This classification can include a variety of types of aircraft including helicopters as well as thrust-vectoring fixed-wing aircraft and other hybrid aircraft with powered rotors such as cyclogyros/cyclocopters and gyrodynes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiltrotor</span> Aircraft type

A tiltrotor is an aircraft that generates lift and propulsion by way of one or more powered rotors mounted on rotating shafts or nacelles usually at the ends of a fixed wing. Almost all tiltrotors use a transverse rotor design, with a few exceptions that use other multirotor layouts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AeroVironment</span> American unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturer

AeroVironment, Inc. is an American defense contractor headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, that designs and manufactures unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Paul B. MacCready Jr., a designer of human-powered aircraft, founded the company in 1971. The company is best known for its lightweight human-powered and solar-powered vehicles. The company is the US military's top supplier of small drones —notably the Raven, Switchblade, Wasp and Puma models.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quadcopter</span> Helicopter with four rotors

A quadcopter, also called quadrocopter, or quadrotor is a type of helicopter or multicopter that has four rotors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gyrodyne</span> Type of VTOL aircraft

A gyrodyne is a type of VTOL aircraft with a helicopter rotor-like system that is driven by its engine for takeoff and landing only, and includes one or more conventional propeller or jet engines to provide forward thrust during cruising flight. During forward flight the rotor is unpowered and free-spinning, like an autogyro, and lift is provided by a combination of the rotor and conventional wings. The gyrodyne is one of a number of similar concepts which attempt to combine helicopter-like low-speed performance with conventional fixed-wing high-speeds, including tiltrotors and tiltwings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rotorcraft</span> Heavier-than-air aircraft which generates lift over rotating wings

A rotorcraft or rotary-wing aircraft is a heavier-than-air aircraft with rotary wings or rotor blades, which generate lift by rotating around a vertical mast. Several rotor blades mounted on a single mast are referred to as a rotor. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) defines a rotorcraft as "supported in flight by the reactions of the air on one or more rotors".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aerial Reconfigurable Embedded System</span> Roadable aircraft

The Aerial Reconfigurable Embedded System (ARES) was a concept for an unmanned VTOL flight module that can transport various payloads. The concept started as the TX (Transformer) in 2009 for a terrain-independent transportation system centered on a ground vehicle that could be configured into a VTOL air vehicle and carry four troops. ARES' primary function was the same as TX, to use flight to avoid ground-based transportation threats like ambushes and IEDs for units that don't have helicopters for those missions. It was to be powered by twin tilting ducted fans and have its own power system, fuel, digital flight controls, and remote command-and-control interfaces. The flight module would have different detachable mission modules for specific purposes including cargo delivery, CASEVAC, and ISR. Up to 3,000 lb (1,400 kg) of payload would be carried by a module.

Point take off and landing (PTOL) is an evolving term describing special take-off and landing capabilities of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Multirotor</span>

A multirotor or multicopter is a rotorcraft with more than two lift-generating rotors. An advantage of multirotor aircraft is the simpler rotor mechanics required for flight control. Unlike single- and double-rotor helicopters which use complex variable pitch rotors whose pitch varies as the blade rotates for flight stability and control, multirotors often use fixed-pitch blades; control of vehicle motion is achieved by varying the relative speed of each rotor to change the thrust and torque produced by each.

ArduPilot is an open source, uncrewed vehicle Autopilot Software Suite, capable of controlling:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delivery drone</span> Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) utilized to transport packages, food or other goods

A delivery drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used to transport packages that include medical supplies, food, or other goods. Given their life-saving potential, use cases for medical supplies in particular have become the most widely-tested type of drone delivery, with trials and pilot projects in dozens of countries such as Australia, Canada, Botswana, Ghana, Uganda, the UK, the US among others. Delivery drones are typically autonomous and electric, sometimes also operated as a part of a fleet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VTOL X-Plane</span> American experimental aircraft

The Vertical Take-Off and Landing Experimental Aircraft program is an American research project sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The goal of the program is to demonstrate a VTOL aircraft design that can take off vertically and efficiently hover, while flying faster than conventional rotorcraft. There have been many previous attempts, most of them unsuccessful.

Guangzhou EHang Intelligent Technology Co. Ltd is a company based in Guangzhou, China that develops and manufactures autonomous aerial vehicles (AAVs) and passenger AAVs which have entered service in China for aerial cinematography, photography, emergency response, and survey missions.

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is the use of small, highly automated aircraft to carry passengers or cargo at lower altitudes in urban and suburban areas which have been developed in response to traffic congestion. It usually refers to existing and emerging technologies such as traditional helicopters, vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft (VTOL), electrically propelled, vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft (eVTOL), and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These aircraft are characterized by the use of multiple electric-powered rotors or fans for lift and propulsion, along with fly-by-wire systems to control them. Inventors have explored urban air mobility concepts since the early days of powered flight. However, advances in materials, computerized flight controls, batteries and electric motors improved innovation and designs beginning in the late 2010s. Most UAM proponents envision that the aircraft will be owned and operated by professional operators, as with taxis, rather than by private individuals.

The Airbus CityAirbus is a multinational project by Airbus Helicopters to produce an electrically powered VTOL personal air vehicle demonstrator. It is intended for the air taxi role, to avoid ground traffic congestion.

An electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft is a variety of VTOL aircraft that uses electric power to hover, take off, and land vertically. This technology came about thanks to major advances in electric propulsion and the emerging need for new aerial vehicles for urban air mobility that can enable greener and quieter flights. Electric and hybrid propulsion systems (EHPS) have also the potential of lowering the operating costs of aircraft.

References

  1. 1 2 Hambling, David (2014-10-31). "Watch the SkyCruiser Flying Car Transform From Helicopter to Plane in Mid-Air". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved 2015-01-24.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Szondy, David (2014-10-25). "Krossblade's SkyCruiser merges airplane, quadcopter and car". Gizmag. Retrieved 2015-01-24.
  3. ↑ Shadbolt, Peter (2014-11-14). "The race is on for flying car start ups". CNN . Retrieved 2015-01-24.
  4. ↑ "An airplane, helicopter and car, all in one". Reuters. 2014-10-27. Retrieved 2015-01-24.
  5. ↑ Scharnhorst, Emily (2014-10-28). "Here's an Airplane, Helicopter, and Car — All in One". Yahoo News. Retrieved 2015-01-24.
  6. ↑ Satya Swaroop Dash (2014-10-27). "SkyCruiser Airplane & SkyProwler Drone Feature Vertical Take-off & Landing". Crazy Engineers. Retrieved 2015-01-26.
  7. ↑ "Aircraft combines a helicopter, airplane and car". Washington Post . 2014-10-27. Retrieved 2015-01-24.
  8. ↑ "This hybrid car is part plane, part helicopter too". GMA News Online. 2014-11-14. Retrieved 2015-01-26.
  9. ↑ Vikas Shukla (2014-10-29). "Krossblade's SkyCruiser Is An Airplane That Turns Into Car Upon Landing". Value Walk. Retrieved 2015-01-24.
  10. ↑ Ben Griffin (2014-10-30). "Krossblade SkyCruiser is a flying car like no other". Recombu. Retrieved 2015-01-24.
  11. ↑ Brindusescu, Gabriel (2014-10-31). "Krossblade SkyCruiser Is Part Hybrid Helicopter, Part Personal Jet". Autoevolution. Retrieved 2015-01-24.
  12. ↑ Hopton, Eric (2014-11-02). "SkyCruiser Flying Car Aims To Slash Travel Times". Red Orbit. Retrieved 2015-01-24.
  13. 1 2 "'Transformer' UAV touted to parcel delivery market". Flight Global. 2014-11-14. Retrieved 2015-01-24.
  14. ↑ Ramachandran, Sanjeev (2014-10-29). "SkyCruiser Hybrid Vehicle Can Fly Like a Copter and Cruise Along Highways Like a Car". Device Magazine. Retrieved 2015-01-24.
  15. ↑ "Manuals/Downloads". Krossblade Aerospace Systems. Retrieved 2022-03-16.
  16. ↑ "Krossblade SkyCruiser joins race for a flying car". European Pilot. Retrieved 2015-01-24.
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