'Four-seat street-legal pih aircraft with electric ground drive and electric power assist on takeoff and landing, that can auto-land, and recharge its batteries at plug-in charging stations'
% 8-12 R&D years expected % http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1113411394/to-scale-flying-car-drone-gets-approved-for-testing-121415/ Model of Terrafugia’s flying car given FAA go-ahead to test DECEMBER 14, 2015 Chuck Bednar [image / Terrafugia http://www.redorbit.com/media/uploads/2015/12/terra1.jpg (Terrafugia) ] A small, Massachusetts-based company currently developing a flying car has been given special permission from the US Federal Aviation Administration to fly an autonomous drone version of its proposed vehicle, and we're so excited. According to TopGear.com and the Aero News Network, the FAA has given Terrafugia the go-ahead to fly a 1/10th scale small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) based on the design of its proposed TF-X airborne automobile for purposes of research and development. The TF-X will be a four-seat, hybrid electric vehicle that is semi-autonomous and capable of vertical take-off and landing, Terrafugia explained on its website. Development is currently in the early stages, and the car is not expected to be released for at least eight years. However, it will purportedly be capable of traveling 200 mph with a range of up to 500 miles. In a statement, Terrafugia called the FAA exemption “a significant milestone” in the ongoing development of the TF-X, adding that “extensive sub-scale flight testing of sUAS, along with wind tunnel testing and aerodynamic simulation, are key to refining the vehicle’s design.” Tests can reach altitudes of 400 feet, speeds of 100 mph Specifically, the company will now be able to test the hovering capabilities of the scale drone prototype to collect flight data which can help them fine-tune the proposed design of the flying car, which is essential because of the unusual configuration of the TF-X. The exemption was necessary, Terrafugia explained, in order to conduct commercial R&D work using an sUAS vehicle in the US. It will enable the company to operate scale TF-X prototypes in all airspace. The drone will be able to reach altitudes of 400 feet and travel under 100 mph. As of last Wednesday, Terrafugia engineers were “building the TF-X sUAS and preparing the detailed test plans that will be used for their operation,” the company explained. They added that testing of the of drones would be conducted by their “experienced flight test team in partnership and communication with all relevant authorities.” Once completed, Terrafugia claims that the TF-X will be a fixed wing street-legal aircraft with electric ground drive and electric power assist on takeoff and landing, that it will be able to auto-land at approved sites provided the weather is acceptable, and that it will be able to recharge its batteries at plug-in charging stations. [© 2015 redOrbit.com] http://ecomento.com/2015/12/16/terrafugia-tf-x-flying-car-approved-for-u-s-flight-tests-sort-of/ Terrafugia TF-X flying car approved for U.S. flight tests (sort of) December 16, 2015 [image http://cdn.ecomento.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/The-Terrafugia-TF-X-images-740x425.jpg Terrafugia-TF-X video https://youtu.be/wHJTZ7k0BXU (Terrafugia TF-X flying car) ] Massachusetts-based Terrafugia continues to develop its flying-car concept. The company unveiled its Transition in 2012, and is now developing a more-advanced model called the TF-X. Seen for the most part only in computer-generated press images, the TF-X can now take to the skies. The new vehicle has been approved for tests in U.S. airspace, according to ScienceAlert. Specifically, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted permission for Terrafugia to test an unmanned prototype that’s one tenth the size of the actual car. Terrafugia believes using the drone will help speed up the TF-X’s development process. The prototype can reach altitudes of 396 feet, and has a top speed of 99 mph. That’s compared to the 200-mph top speed Terrafugia promises for the actual TF-X. It also anticipates a range of up to 500 miles. The production model will be a plug-in hybrid, and will be small enough to fit in a normal garage, Terrafugia has said. In actual use, the TF-X will transform from a car into a plane. When switching to flying mode, wings will fold out, and two electric-motor pods will be used to lift the vehicle off the ground.Two helicopter-style propellors will also unfold from the bodywork, providing thrust for airborne travel. Terrafugia previously said that it will need eight to 12 years to complete development work on the TF-X. History is littered with previous attempts at a practical flying car, but Terrafugia has approached the concept a little differently. Its previous Transition model was intended to be more plane than car. Rather than a vehicle meant to take commuting to the skies, it was meant to make pilots’ lives more convenient by providing them with built-in ground transportation for stops at rural airports. [© ecomento.com] ... http://www.sciencealert.com/terrafugia-s-flying-car-has-just-been-given-approval-to-run-in-air-tests Terrafugia's flying car model has been approved for tests in US airspace 15 DEC 2015 For EVLN EV-newswire posts use: http://evdl.org/evln/ {brucedp.150m.com} -- View this message in context: http://electric-vehicle-discussion-list.413529.n4.nabble.com/EVLN-Psst-Hey-buddy-that-charging-plugin-next-to-you-can-fly-v-tp4679243.html Sent from the Electric Vehicle Discussion List mailing list archive at Nabble.com. _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org Read EVAngel's EV News at http://evdl.org/evln/ Please discuss EV drag racing at NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
